Manchester United have been dealt with a massive blow as Mason Mount has picked up a hamstring injury and will be out for some time.
The midfielder has made a very slow start to his career at Old Trafford now to make matters worse, the England international sustained a hamstring injury during the Tottenham game last weekend and as per the latest reports, he will be out for four to six weeks.
Man United had paid £55 million to Chelsea for the midfielder and he was supposed to be a mainstay in the middle of the pitch this season so this untimely injury is a massive blow for Erik ten Hag and his plans.
Who is going to replace Mason Mount?
Manchester United are scheduled to take on Nottingham Forest this weekend and as an immediate solution, Scott McTominay is going to move up the pecking order.
McTominay has been linked with an exit but now this injury to Mason Mount means the Scotland midfielder is going nowhere. For Saturday, Eriksen will probably come back into the starting line up alongside Casemiro while McTominay comes off the bench.
As far as a long-term solution is concerned, Manchester United will have to go out in the market and bring in a new central midfielder because there’s no way Ten Hag will be able to manage all the games with McTominay and Eriksen. McTominay is in no way a world-class player whereas, at his age, Christian Eriksen won’t be able to play each and every weekend.
Some reports are suggesting that 20-year-old Hannibal Mejbri will be coming into the matchday squad vs Forest but we doubt if Ten Hag will hand him a start, especially at the back of a 2-0 loss to Spurs.
United have been linked with Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat as well as Bayern Munich’s Ryan Gravenberch and as per some rumours, the club are also thinking of triggering a buy-back clause for James Garner. Ten Hag has been wanting to sign a new central midfielder before the window shuts down and now this injury to Mason Mount means the manager has no other option but to go out and bring in a replacement.
Obviously, ETH will want someone who can fit into his long-term plans but in such situations, clubs do tend to make a panic buy and there’s a big chance Manchester United will do the same.
