Mason Mount made his long-awaited return to action for Manchester United in the second half of extra time of their FA Cup quarterfinal against Liverpool at Old Trafford.
The midfielder has been unavailable to Manchester United for over 25 matches this season, despite being brought in as their most expensive signing of the 2023 summer transfer window.
Erik ten Hag had high hopes for the former Chelsea star, hopes so high that he approved the £55 million price tag even though he had just 12 months remaining on his contract at the Blues.
After a sharp preseason, United fans shared optimism around the signing yet his talent and performances have been forgettable.
The Sporting News takes a look at the injury situation and what the latest updates are on his availability.
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Mason Mount latest injury news, updates
Mason Mount finally made his first-team return for Manchester United against Liverpool in the FA Cup quarterfinal at Old Trafford on March 17, 2024. He came on as a substitute for the second half of extra time.
Mount had been out of action since mid-November 2023, missing 21 matches in all competitions in that time.
Back in February, manager Erik ten Hag offered his support to Mount and insisted he would get the chance to prove himself a valuable player for the Red Devils.
"He was struggling from the second game of the season," Ten Hag said. "He returned for a period and then picked up another injury, so of course that's not great.
"That is very frustrating for him and I really feel for him. I really want to be there for him because he had such high expectations and I had high expectations.
"I am sure he is a very good player for us. But, first of all, what's now important is we have to do it very secure (sic) to get him fit. Secure in the process, step by step, don't force it and then hopefully by the end of the season he can stay fit and fight his way into the team, or at least play a role in this team."
🚨 | BREAKING:
— UtdDistrict (@UtdDistrict) February 26, 2024
Mason Mount is on track to be available for #mufc selection in the next couple of weeks. He has stepped up his training intensity. [@INSIDERUTD1] pic.twitter.com/QPvMvgnzME
Mason Mount timeline, matches missed
Mount's debut league appearance for United against Wolves was the first time he had started in a Premier League game in almost six months.
He then suffered a hamstring problem in United's 2-0 defeat to Spurs in August, which sidelined him for over a month. He returned to action in late September and started a run of fixtures in October before falling victim to a calf injury, which saw him out of the squad until the following March.
So far, the Englishman has been injured for over 100 days as a United player and has missed 27 matches this season.
Mount injury history
Perhaps the wildest stat surrounding Mount's injury history is that he has already missed more United matches due to injury than he did during his entire Blues career.
A single 16-minute outing was the only time Mount featured during the final 14 league matches of a dismal 2022/23 season for Chelsea, with a pelvis injury making him a peripheral figure as the huge-spending Blues finished 12th.
The 36-cap international has not been able to play for England since he was used as a substitute during their 2-1 defeat to France at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in December.
Mount also missed Chelsea's defeat to Manchester City in January with a knock, but he was only absent for three games in all competitions during 2021/22.
Before then, the worst injury Mount had was a three-week lay-off with an ankle problem while he was on loan to Derby County during the 2018/19 season.
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Mount to Man United transfer: When did the midfielder sign?
Mount joined United on July 5, 2023, signing a five-year contract with the option of a further year as he ended his 18-year association with Chelsea.
"It's never easy leaving the club where you grew up," said Mount, calling his move "an exciting new challenge for the next phase of my career".
"Having competed against them, I know just how strong a squad it is that I'm joining, and I can't wait to be part of this group's drive to win major trophies.
"Having met with the manager and discussed his plans, I couldn't be more excited for the seasons ahead and am ready for the hard work expected here.
"I am hugely ambitious; I know how amazing it feels to win major trophies and what it takes to do it. I will be giving everything to experience that again at Manchester United."
