Mason Mount has opened up on the “difficult” start to his Manchester United career as he plots to put two years of injury frustration behind him by winning the Europa League.
Mount is in contention to start against Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao on Wednesday after being picked in Ruben Amorim’s XI for three of the last four games.
It has been a well-timed return. The 26-year-old has been so affected by injuries that he has been restricted to just 45 appearances for United since joining from Chelsea in a £60 million deal in 2023. Only once during that time has he completed 90 minutes.
He admits his time at Old Trafford has been “tough.” But, fit again and with valuable minutes under his belt, he is hoping to cap off his comeback with a Europa League winners’ medal.
“I have had many days at Carrington [United’s training ground] sitting on the treatment bed where I want to be training,” Mount said.
“I’ve been in the stands watching games where I want to be playing. I gave everything to continue my rehab to try and get back and be back as quickly as possible.
“It has been difficult, but I have learned a lot from these moments. Now I am back and feel a lot better. You really appreciate it more.
“It’s been a tough couple of years, but I’ve stayed very focused so I knew moments like this were going to come and that was always on my mind.”
Mount averaged close to 50 games a season in his four years in Chelsea’s first team. But after picking up an injury in just his second game for United, he has been forced onto the sidelines for long spells, both this season and last.
He missed four months of last season with a calf problem and another three months of this season with a hamstring issue. His only full game to date came in a League Cup defeat to Newcastle in November 2023.
Despite his extended absences, Mount has been earmarked as an important part of the squad by both former manager Erik ten Hag and Amorim.
It’s something he backed up with two crucial goals in the Europa League semifinal second leg against Athletic Club.
“The injuries are something that obviously I didn’t see coming,” Mount said.
“That’s not been easy, but I’ve stayed very focused throughout that whole time. I always had the end goal in my mind that it would come good and something will happen and I’ll get a moment where I’ll score a few goals or something will happen.
“It’s not been easy for me, not being on the pitch and being in the stands watching games. The fans see that as I’m not playing.
“I want to be out there doing as much as I can to help the lads, help the club, help the team to win games. It’s not been easy but I’ve stuck with it. I’ve seen a lot of comments and praise recently and I’ll continue to work hard.”
Mount’s move from Chelsea came with high expectations. He was part of the team that won the Champions League in 2021 and played a key role in helping England to the European Championship final the same year.
The pressure on his shoulders at United has been increased by wearing the iconic No.7 shirt — a number worn by club greats like George Best, Eric Cantona, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The shirt weighed heavily on other No.7s including Ángel Di María and Alexis Sánchez. Mount, though, is embracing the challenge of living up to its history.
“It was a massive, massive honour,” he said.
“Obviously I knew before joining what legends have worn the shirt and what it means to the club.
“As soon as I knew that there was a possibility of me wearing it, I was never going to turn it down. I always wanted to take that opportunity.”
It’s not just Mount who is seeking a boost in Bilbao.
United are already sure of their lowest ever Premier League finish — they can’t rise higher than 14th with one game left — in what has been their worst domestic campaign since relegation to the second tier in 1974.
Winning the Europa League would earn a place in the Champions League and provide vital funds for a summer overhaul of the squad.
Mount also believes the feeling of winning a first trophy under Amorim would provide a platform to kick on next season.
“I feel we’re close,” he said.
“It’s small details here and there in games. Especially in the Premier League. If the small details aren’t right you can get punished. It can be devastating at times. In the Premier League it’s fine margins.
“I think we’re close to correcting them and when you win trophies you get extra confidence. It builds and you build that togetherness as a group. We want to finish on a positive note and next season come back and work hard in preseason and then attack it again.
“As a group, we always try to block out the noise. We know the situation we are in. We know the league is not good enough, but the Europa League is something that we look forward to and it’s a final.
“It’s a trophy and it’s Champions League football next season. We will do everything in our power to win that game. We won’t forget about what we have done in the league and our league form.
“That is something we need to work on for next season. We know we need to work on that. This is a final. If we can win it, it can be a positive end to a tough season.”
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