Mason Mount warned tough Man Utd battle lies ahead in mixed message after No 7 honour

Mason Mount has been warned by former Manchester United striker Louis Saha that he will not be guaranteed a starting spot next season despite being handed the legendary No 7 shirt at Old Trafford. Mount was officially unveiled as a new Red Devils player on Wednesday morning after signing a five-year deal, with the England ace having left boyhood club Chelsea for a new start in Manchester.

Mount, who ended up costing United a transfer fee in the region of £55million, was given the iconic No 7 shirt upon his arrival and will be forced to deal with the pressure that comes with the territory over the coming weeks. The number was previously worn by the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Eric Cantona at United but Saha has warned Mount that it will not guarantee him a weekly starting spot unless he earns it on merit."Mason Mount isn’t necessarily going to go straight into the Manchester United team, it’s such a long season coming up and he’ll have to fight for his place," Saha told Paddy Power."It’s a big transfer fee for someone who’s only got a year left of his contract but he’s going to bring diversity to this team because he’s a very smart, active and busy player. He’s also very creative and those are things that Manchester United have sometimes missed recently.

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"They need creativity, but also mobility and only Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes had that last season. Mount can do it but from midfield, rather than from someone like Antony or Rashford. He’s like a playmaker but a bit more mobile and he’ll open up the way they play and give more options. He’ll create more one-on-ones for the strikers and it’s a brilliant signing."It remains to be seen whether Mount will be able to establish himself as an important player for United next season after a less-than-impressive final campaign at Chelsea, during which he scored just three goals and offered two assists in 24 league games. However, it seems clear that he believes Ten Hag is the perfect manager to help him kick on and realise his full potential at Old Trafford over the coming years.

"It’s never easy leaving the club where you grew up, but Manchester United will provide an exciting new challenge for the next phase of my career," Mount told United's official channels after his move was officially confirmed."Having competed against them, I know just how strong a squad it is that I’m joining, and I can’t wait to be part of this group’s drive to win major trophies. Everyone can see that the club has made big steps forward under Erik ten Hag. Having met with the manager and discussed his plans, I couldn’t be more excited for the seasons ahead, and am ready for the hard work expected here."I am hugely ambitious, I know how amazing it feels to win major trophies and what it takes to do it. I will be giving everything to experience that again at Manchester United."