Louis Saha sends £60m Mason Mount transfer warning to Manchester United

Chelsea remain keen to drive up the price for Man United midfield target Mason Mount.

Former Manchester United striker Louis Saha is backing his old club to stand their ground in their quest to sign Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount this summer.

United, who will get their pre-season preparations under way in just over a fortnight's time, have already seen three bids for the England international rejected. They have tabled offers worth £40million, £50m and £55m so far, but none of them have been enough to crack Chelsea's stubbornness.

It is understood that the Londoners are holding out for an overall fee of £65m, despite Mount being out-of-contract in a year's time. United are unhappy with the way Chelsea have so far handled negotiations and supporters are becoming increasingly frustrated at the lack of transfer activity so far this summer.

But despite the increasing frustrations, Saha believes United are right not to be bulled into paying over the odds for Mount, claiming that a £60m fee for a player out-of-contract in a year's time is unjustified.

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Saha, speaking to Betfred, said: "I believe it's the right decision. Mason's a great player that would have fit into Manchester United's squad very well, but last year he didn't have a great season and I can understand why the club doesn't want to break the bank for him.

"United have a structure when it comes to transfers, so they shouldn't allow themselves to be bullied by other clubs. They need to stand their ground because they are a great club and they can walk away from any player.

"If Chelsea don't understand that, then it's fair game. I don't believe that £60million to sign him is justified, considering that in a years' time it would be a free transfer for the same player."

As is so often the case with a transfer saga of this type, it is still possible that Chelsea could cave in and reduce their demands, minimising the risk of losing Mount for free in a year's time. And that is why Saha believes the deal could still come to fruition.

"I do believe the deal could still happen, as United could be waiting out for Chelsea to agree to a lower fee as it's evident that they need to sell players this summer," Saha added. "I believe this could be their strategy.

"The deal's on the table and Chelsea know how much United want Mason, but Chelsea are being a bit greedy as they're probably trying to recoup a lot of the money they spent on players over the last year. In a year's time, he can sign for United for free, so that indicates the pressure that Chelsea's under.

"At the end of the day, United has a structure, so they have to respect themselves."