Manchester United are reportedly prepared to return with a second bid for Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount.
The England international appears to be heading towards a summer exit after failing to reach an agreement on a new contract.
Mount has 12 months remaining on his current contract and talks over a new Chelsea deal have reached a stalemate.
Arsenal and Liverpool have both been linked with Mount, but Man United are seemingly leading the race for his signature.
Erik ten Hag is keen to add to his midfield options amid uncertainty surrounding the futures of Fred, Scott McTominay and Donny van de Beek.
The Red Devils stepped up their pursuit on Wednesday, submitting a £40m bid that was swiftly rejected by the West London club.
According to journalist Ben Jacobs, Man United are preparing to return with a second offer for the Chelsea academy product.
The Blues are understood to be holding out for a fee in the region of £70m, but the Red Devils are reluctant to go above the £60m mark.
With Ten Hag looking to sign a central striker this summer, Man United are unwilling to spend the majority of their budget on one player.
Although the two clubs are some way off in their valuations, Mount is still keen to join the Red Devils and there remains a high probability that he will leave Stamford Bridge this summer.
Chelsea could be forced into making a compromise on their asking price rather than letting Mount walk away for nothing in 2024.
The 24-year-old, who missed the final seven games of the season with a pelvic injury, scored three goals and contributed six assists in 35 competitive games.
Since making his Chelsea debut in August 2019, the England midfielder has gone on to make 195 appearances, registering 33 goals and 37 assists.
