Report: Man United pause Mount pursuit to focus on Caicedo, other targets
Manchester United are honing in on other targets in the summer transfer window after Chelsea rejected their third bid for Mason Mount.
The midfielder agreed to personal terms to join Erik ten Hag's side, but the clubs' drawn-out negotiations reached an impasse due to Chelsea's hefty £65-million asking price, according to The Times' Jonathan Northcroft. United's last bid was £10 million short of that valuation.
Mount will be available on a free transfer if he allows his Blues contract to expire next summer.
The Red Devils aren't willing to enter long, expensive chases for players - they reportedly backed out of signing Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane for that reason - and are leaving their £55-million offer for Mount on the table while they explore other transfers. Moises Caicedo, Brighton & Hove Albion's in-demand midfielder, sits atop of United's wish list, Northcroft reports.
Caicedo has interested numerous clubs in recent months, including Arsenal and Chelsea. Brighton apparently value the Ecuadorian in the region of £80 million, but the fact that he's just 21 - around three years younger than Mount - and is effectively tied down to a five-year contract (he signed an initial four-year agreement in March, with the club holding the option for an additional year) could make that sum seem more reasonable.
United have tracked Caicedo for some time and kept in touch with his representatives during their negotiations for Mount, Northcroft understands. Brighton turned down Arsenal's reported £70-million approach for Caicedo at the end the January window, which resulted in the unsettled youngster taking some time away from first-team football.
In addition to Caicedo, United are expected to increase their efforts to sign a new striker. Atalanta's Rasmus Hojlund and Eintracht Frankfurt's Randal Kolo Muani are among their main targets, Northcroft understands. Hojlund, 20, scored nine Serie A goals last term and has struck six times over six Denmark appearances. Kolo Muani, 24, has nine France caps and tallied 23 goals and 14 assists across all competitions for Eintracht Frankfurt last season.
Ajax's Mohammed Kudus could also be considered as an option. The 22-year-old mainly played through the middle or on the right during the 2022-23 campaign, recording 17 goals and seven assists through his league and cup commitments in the Netherlands and European fixtures.