'Going to reach the absolute top' - inside Manchester United signing Mason Mount's year at Vitesse that impressed Erik ten Hag

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

There were big hopes for Mason Mount when he joined Vitesse on loan from Chelsea in 2017. Fresh from registering two assists for both England's goals in the final victory against Portugal as England U19s won the European Championships, where he was crowned player of the tournament, Mount was off to the Netherlands.

The Blues' graduate was highly thought of within the club, having won the Academy Player of the Year the season prior, and the hope was that a loan move would accelerate his already impressive development.

Less than 10 days after that final with England U19s, the then 18-year-old signed a new four-year contract with Chelsea before being shipped off to Dutch side Vitesse on loan for a season. "Vitesse feels like me the next step in my career," Mount told the club's website upon arrival. "Vitesse gave me a good feeling when discussing [the move].

I also talked to other players like Lewis Baker and Mukhtar Ali, who were all positive about the club." The Dutch outfit's technical director Mo Allach described his new signing as 'a promising midfielder with a variety of qualities', although in reality Mount had yet to prove just how good he could be at senior level. "It's an opportunity and a challenge for me," Mount added. "And I want to take that challenge." Want to join our MUFC Pro club for a totally ad-free version of the MEN’s Man United app packed with premium features? Click here READ MORE: Mount outlined how Ronaldo influenced his game during Old Trafford trip Things got off to a slow start for Mount, as he was named as an unused substitute in their first game - the Johan Cruyff Shield match against Feyenoord which Vitesse lost on penalties.