Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag believes that Mason Mount will have a "big part" to play for the Red Devils amid his troubled start to the season.
The England international ended an 18-year association with Chelsea to join the 20-time English champions in a £55.6m deal, penning a five-year contract with an option until the summer of 2029.
Mount's final season at Chelsea was a forgettable affair, as the 24-year-old struggled with injuries and also failed to regain the same form that made him a fan favourite at Stamford Bridge.
Fitness problems have also hampered the midfielder's start to life at Old Trafford, and he has just one assist to show from his first five appearances for Ten Hag's side in his debut campaign.
Three of Mount's first five starts for the Red Devils saw Ten Hag's side suffer defeat, including last weekend's 1-0 beating at the hands of Crystal Palace and their midweek 3-2 Champions League loss to Galatasaray.
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Owing to his Old Trafford struggles, Mount missed out on a place in the England squad for October's internationals, and he has not represented his nation since the 2022 World Cup.
Nevertheless, Ten Hag believes that the former Chelsea youngster can come up with key contributions both offensively and defensively for Man United once he finds his feet in the North West.
"He can be a big part [of what we are creating here]," Ten Hag told the official Man United website. "He can play in that game by supplying, making the connections, making the link-ups for those in the front line.
"He has abilities to give that [energy] and to supply our front players by combinations. Also in his moments of defence transition, in defending and pressing he can be and he is already a great player for us because he puts a lot of effort in. When we get better connections [in the team], that will grow."
Before departing Chelsea for Man United over the summer, Mount registered 33 goals and 37 assists in 195 games for Chelsea, with whom he won the Champions League, Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup.
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The Englishman was one of seven new players to arrive at the Theatre of Dreams this summer, joining Andre Onana, Altay Bayindir, Sofyan Amrabat, Rasmus Hojlund, Sergio Reguilon and Jonny Evans on the arrivals list.
All seven players bar Bayindir have earned minutes for Ten Hag's side in the current campaign, but Onana has also suffered a particularly underwhelming start to life in the Premier League, conceding 11 goals and keeping just two clean sheets in the top flight in his opening seven games.
The Cameroonian has also shipped seven goals in two Champions League affairs and was heavily criticised in midweek, gifting the ball to Galatasaray's Dries Mertens, who won a penalty as he was scythed down by Casemiro.
Ten Hag recently revealed that he would speak with the former Inter Milan goalkeeper over his early-season struggles, while Hojlund is yet to get off the mark in the Premier League but has three goals to his name from two Champions League matches.
Ben Knapton
