It’s a cliché as old as football, but the clichés are clichés for a reason, and that is because they are true most of the time and sum up the sentiment, which Rio Ferdinand has done.
Man Utd will begin their Premier League season with a marquee game against Arsenal, and Ruben Amorim will be able to call on the services of three new signings.
Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko form the nucleus of a completely reformed attack that scored just 44 league goals as a whole team last season.
However, internal improvement is as necessary as contributions from new players, and Rio Ferdinand says Ruben Amorim has a player who can make a big difference internally.
Rio Ferdinand predicts big things from Mason Mount
Mason Mount’s Man Utd career is yet to truly take off, but it is a measure of his professionalism and work behind the scenes that he has always been a manager’s favourite.
Fitness issues have stunted his rise at Old Trafford, but after a positive end to the season, he has played a crucial role in the whole pre-season this time.
Mount has impressed greatly in new positions, and his manic pressing off the ball isn’t something that’s replicated by anyone else in the squad.
The big question is if he can stay fit, which, if he can, he’ll be like a brand new signing for Amorim, as per Rio Ferdinand.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, he said: “It’s a huge season for [Mason Mount]. Fitness has been his biggest enemy. If he stays fit, it’s like a brand new signing.
“The energy he brings to the table. He could be a hugely important player if the manager trusts him and he stays fit. Your movement, runs, intelligence, that can be as telling and impactful without the ball as with it.”
Mount’s judgement season at Man Utd
Regardless of how big a favourite Mount is under Amorim, the way the club have dealt with Rasmus Hojlund this season should be an indicator for everyone else in the squad.
Omar Berrada’s statement at Man City, where he said players should be given two years at most to prove themselves before being moved on, applies to Mount.
Injury issues are unfortunate, but United also can’t afford to keep him engaged if he isn’t reliable, and just off-ball pressing is not enough.
He needs to add raw output to his game, which he is clearly capable of, as shown at Chelsea and in glimpses at Man Utd.
This is set to be the judgement season for him at United, because another season full of injuries and below-par output will likely see him stand in the boat Hojlund is in now.
It’s a unique circumstance where a player who’s like a “brand new signing” is also fighting to save his career at the club.
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