Mikel Arteta told confidants Arsenal had deal all but done to sign star from rivals last summer

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is reported to have told confidants that a deal was all but done to sign Mason Mount from Chelsea last summer, though he ended up at Manchester United instead.

The England international came to the final year of his contract at Stamford Bridge and it looked like he would surely not be staying on, with a number of big names linked.

Arsenal and Liverpool are mentioned by the Manchester Evening News, who also state that Man Utd beat those two to Mount’s signature despite Arteta supposedly sounding very confident about the Gunners winning the race for the 25-year-old.

Mount has struggled since moving to United, but there’s no doubt that he has big potential, and it would’ve been interesting to see what he could have achieved this season if not for so many injury problems.

Mount transfer: Could he have been a good signing for Arsenal?

One imagines Arsenal would also have been happy to take Mount, as he seems like the kind of player who could’ve been a good fit under Arteta, who has mostly worked up a great track record of improving whoever he works with.

The former Chelsea man is a versatile attacking midfield player who could have filled a variety of roles at the Emirates Stadium, just as Kai Havertz has ended up doing since also leaving Chelsea last summer.

It would be interesting to know what really went on behind the scenes with the Mount transfer saga last summer, and why a move to Arsenal didn’t work out in the end, given that Arteta was seemingly sure it was close to going through.

For now, however, Chelsea will probably just be pleased they managed to sell this player for big money without the blow of seeing him shine for their rivals as he’s made such an underwhelming start at Old Trafford.