Mason Mount’s time at Manchester United has been plagued with more injuries than goals, and for that reason he hasn’t donned an England kit since the 2022 World Cup came to a close.
Yet with Thomas Tuchel now in charge of the Three Lions, it could serve as a way back in for the 25-year-old midfielder if he can manage to get his club situation in order.
Mount made 87 appearances for Chelsea under the watch of Tuchel, scoring 19 goals and assisting 19 more, by far his best output under any manager.
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While Thomas Tuchel’s tactical acumen is largely known for its flexibility, he still has his preferred tendencies, and a player like Mount could be a perfect fit. The 51-year-old German loves attacking players who can play both in the middle and out wide, which is exactly how he deployed Mount in 2021/22, his most successful Chelseas season.
In his minimal time on the pitch for Manchester United under Erik ten Hag, Mount has been deployed as much more of a traditional midfielder, but his best Chelsea days under Tuchel saw him drift wide much more often.
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While Mount is not an effective one-on-one dribbler, under Tuchel he didn’t need to be, as his progressive passes and receptions more than made up for it as he combined with his teammates at an extraordinary level, and he carried the ball forward at a solid clip as well.
The former Chelsea youth product is also an extremely accurate crosser, allowing him to be dangerous in wide areas even without the threat of a one-on-one take-on.
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If Tuchel can effectively use Mount as a hybrid wide midfielder in the same mold as Arsenal have looked to use Kai Havertz at times this season, it could be a match made in heaven — or maybe at Cobham.
Mount has also made it clear how much he enjoyed playing under Tuchel at Chelsea, and how the two had an understanding on the pitch.
“I remember we had a meeting in the morning,” Mount said of his first day under Tuchel. “The week was a kind of whirlwind, it was crazy. It’s something I’ve never experienced before. We had a meeting where he [Tuchel] put down everything that he wants us to do, how he wants us to play, how he likes to manage. He told us everything, and then we went out and trained, and we had a game the next day.
“So, it was a crazy kind of turnaround but he was so clear on what he wanted and how he would like us to play, very clear on the roles and responsibilities, that it made it very easy for us to transition. From day one, as players we realised how he gives his game plan. It made it easy for us to go onto the pitch and do it. As a team we are players who react off that and adapt very quickly. It made it easy, and we want to play in these big games and win trophies. That has always been our goal, and since he has come in, he has pushed us, and we have definitely had the opportunity to win big games and play in finals.”
Despite this history, the door is unlikely open for Mount with the England national team at this point. First, the 25-year-old must get his fitness sorted and return to the pitch for Manchester United, where he will need to win a consistent starting job before he can be considered for international duty. If he can accomplish that, he may have an inside track for a return to the Three Lions squad.
