Boehly targets shock deal to bring Man Utd old boy to Chelsea as Klopp hopes of Liverpool raid on Blues gather pace
Chelsea owner Todd Boehly reportedly wants to bring a former Manchester United midfielder to Stamford Bridge this summer as he looks to fill a difficult void in the side.
Blues midfielder Mason Mount looks increasingly likely to end his long association with the club this summer. Having been at the club since nine years of age, Mount is one of the club’s most successful academy graduates in recent years. Indeed, he has made 192 appearances for Chelsea, scoring 33 times.
However, with his deal due to expire in summer 2024, an agreement over an extension appears a long way off.
Mount is reportedly targeting a deal worth £240,000 a week to earn parity with close pal and fellow Chelsea graduate, Reece James. Chelsea, though, remain some distance apart from meeting those demands. And with the two parties to hold a final round of talks this week, failure to see an agreement could lead to Mount being put up for sale.
To that end, a report on Monday claimed Boehly had reluctantly accepted that Mount was likely to move on this summer.
As a result, Mount is unlikely to be short of admirers too if Chelsea do decide to put him up for sale. Indeed, the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool are among those seemingly keen with Jurgen Klopp’s side leading the chase.
Klopp is desperate to rebuild his midfield this summer after a difficult season and Mount is among those to be linked.
And now it seems his prospects are on the rise amid claims Chelsea have not only accepted that Mount will move on, but also amid claims that they are already targeting his replacement.
Chelsea want Andreas Pereira as Mount replacement
According to ESPN, Boehly is setting his sights on a deal for Fulham midfielder Andreas Pereira as Mount’s replacement.
The Brazil has been in exceptional form for Fulham this season and has been a big factor in their impressive season back in the Premier League. Indeed, Marco Silva’s side are currently ninth and virtually safe from relegation. And a late run of form could see them put themselves in contention to bag a European place next season.
Pereira has been at the heart of everything good about the Cottagers, starting all 27 of their Premier League games to date. In that time, he has two goals and six assists, establishing himself as a key player in the side.
It is all a far cry from his struggles at Manchester United, where Pereira struggled to impose himself during eight seasons on the club’s books. His best year for United came in 2019/20 when he made 40 appearances under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
But he never really built on that and it was little surprise to see him eventually depart last summer in a £10m deal.
Since joining Fulham though, Pereira has not looked back. And it is little surprise to see his form alert bigger suitors in the form of Chelsea.
Per ESPN, they have been impressed by the one-time capped Brazil international at Craven Cottage.
Chelsea joined by Euro giants in race to sign Fulham star
And such has been his displays that they report Boehly sees the 27-year-old as an ideal successor to Mount in midfield next season.
They are not the only ones keen on Pereira, either, with both PSG and Atletico Madrid taking notice of his form.
However, it is Chelsea seemingly leading that chase, though the Cottagers have no real desire to cash in.
Nonetheless, Boehly tends to not let much get in his way when he sets his heart on a particular player. Indeed, his relentless pursuit of Enzo Fernandez – who ultimately cost Chelsea a British record £105.7m from Benfica – is testimony to that.
As such, a similar no-limits chase for Pereira could result in the Brazilian switching across the capital.
And were that to happen, Klopp will be given further incentive to try and close out a deal for Mount.
