Manchester United may have received a boost in their pursuit of Declan Rice after “agreeing terms” with Mason Mount.
According to a Telegraph report, the Old Trafford club have agreed personal terms with Mount and are in the driving seat to sign the Chelsea midfielder ahead of Liverpool and Arsenal.
While a transfer fee is yet to be agreed, United boss Erik ten Hag is allegedly confident he can persuade the 24-year-old to join and is pushing the club hierarchy to get the deal over the line.
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Talks reportedly progressed after the two clubs played each other last Thursday, with personal terms having been settled for the Chelsea star, who only has a year left on his contract at Stamford Bridge.
Indeed, Jurgen Klopp had reportedly targeted Mount and Brighton midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, as the Reds look to build their midfield.
Meanwhile, Arsenal are said to be pushing for Mount’s best friend, West Ham captain Declan Rice, who is also a target for United and Bayern.
And, having secured terms with Mount, United may have moved ahead of the pack in the race for Rice.
Rice to join same club as Mount?
Former England forward Darren Bent claimed it was likely Mount and Rice had discussed joining the same club.
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The pair previously played together for Chelsea's academy before appearing alongside one another 28 times for the Three Lions.
And Bent claimed that should United sign Mount, it could influence Rice to opt for an Old Trafford move over an Arsenal transfer.
Asked if the pair will have had conversations, Bent told talkSPORT last week: "Yeah of course, you would have conversations like ‘what’s going on? You going to Manchester United?’ He might go ‘Yeah, they’re in for me, what do you think?’
"If they’re as close as people make out, Mason Mount and Declan Rice, then 100 per cent that conversation will have been happening.
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"If it was my best friend, I'd go too!"
Rice has been valued at around £120million by his West Ham manager David Moyes.
Topics: Football, Transfers, Mason Mount, Declan Rice, Premier League, Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool