Mason Mount says it "became clear" that he was not going to be included in Chelsea's long-term plans.
The 24-year-old's 18-year association with the Blues ended on Wednesday as his move to Manchester United, which would eventually be worth £60m, was made official.
Chelsea had been involved in lengthy contract negotiations with Mount over a new deal, but ultimately the two parties were unable to agree terms on extending his Stamford Bridge stay. Instead, a move to Manchester United came over the horizon, with a deal eventually struck between the Premier League heavyweights at the fourth time of asking.
Mount has taken plenty of stick on social media for abandoning Chelsea, but his first interview with his new club has revealed his belief that his time in west London was up.
"Several months ago, it became clear that I wasn't in Chelsea's plans moving forward," Mount told United's official website. "Once I knew that United were involved, my decision was made up. A massive club, huge iconic players have played here, and I wanted to be a part of that from the beginning. Getting in early and ready for pre-season to start was a main objective of mine as well.
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"The most important thing for me was getting there, being ready on day one and being able to obviously meet all the players, the manager, and get working."
Mount enjoyed a swift rise to prominence after successful loan spells at Vitesse Arnhem and Derby County. He signed a new five-year contract at Chelsea in July 2019 and quickly became a first-team regular under Frank Lampard, who had overseen his loan spell at Pride Park.
He also became a regular starter for Gareth Southgate's England, playing a prominent role in the Three Lions' run through to the Euro 2020 final.
Four full seasons at Chelsea yielded 195 appearances in all competitions for Mount, with 33 goals scored in that time. But 2022/23 was a real struggle for the Portsmouth-born midfielder, as he contended with various injuries and a noticeable loss of form.
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On this week's edition of Talking Transfers, part of the 90min podcast network, Scott Saunders is joined by Toby Cudworth, Graeme Bailey and Sean Walsh to discuss Man Utd's priorities after agreeing a deal for Mason Mount, the latest on Arsenal's move for Declan Rice, Tottenham's targets and more!
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This article was originally published on 90min as Mason Mount reveals key reason for leaving Chelsea.