Manchester United shouldn’t pay more than £40m for Mason Mount despite Chelsea reportedly setting his price tag at £85m, says Darren Bent.

Mount – who’s about to enter the final year of his contract at Chelsea, where tensions have been high over a potential extension – has been linked with both Liverpool and Arsenal, but The Athletic reported on Wednesday that he’s ‘leaning towards’ a move to United.

A further report added that the England international is a primary target for Erik ten Hag and the United boss wants a deal done quickly, with talks set to commence while he nurses an abdominal injury that ended his season prematurely.

It’s claimed that United are willing to stump up £55m, which falls well short of Chelsea’s £85m, which is quite the sum for a player with just a year remaining on his deal.

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Pressed on how much United should spend, Bent said “£40m” before admitting it would be significantly more than that if he had longer to run on his contract.

He added on talkSPORT: “Then he’s young, he’s English, so he’s going to be £70m-£80m easily. But not £80m for one year left on his contract.”

“I think he gets into any top team’s squad. I’m not saying he starts for every team because I don’t think he does, but I think at a better price.

“Because I’m not paying £80m for no player with one year left on his contract – especially in a season where they have got three goals.”

Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar has also been linked with United, but Bent explained why he thinks Mount is the more sensible option.

Bent said:”Even though Neymar is a better player, I think Mason Mount would be a better fit in and around the dressing room, never gives you any problems. You know exactly what you’re getting, you don’t have to worry on a Friday night, ‘is my phone going to ring?’ because Mason Mount is in trouble again.

“You don’t have to worry about any of that because he’s a model professional. People that I know that know him and watching him at Derby, he’s always trying to make himself better, always available, he’s got good character, got good nature.”

READ MORE: Man Utd: Erik ten Hag both ‘mischievous’ and ‘cryptic’ with eight words on Neymar

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