Erik ten Hag insists Mason Mount was behind his own Chelsea exit, despite sources close to £60m star pinning blame on Todd Boehly and Co, as Man United midfielder faces boos on his return tonight

Erik ten Hag has claimed it was Mason Mount's decision to leave Chelsea for Manchester United last summer.

Mount - who joined the Blues at the age of six - departed his boyhood club in July to move to Old Trafford in a £60million transfer.

The midfielder's exit came after a prolonged contract stand-off with Chelsea, with Mount sold when there was just a year left to run on his deal after the two parties were unable to reach an agreement. 

This has led to reports that it was Chelsea's desire to ship Mount out in the summer. 

ESPN claimed how given the 25-year-old counted as an academy product, coupled with the need for the club to raise money after a significant transfer outlay last season, Mount's departure was viewed as the perfect solution to generate much-needed cash.

In fact, the report claims Chelsea were inviting offers for Mount as early as December 2022, with both Arsenal and Liverpool credited with an interest in the 36-cap England international.

Since arriving at Old Trafford, Mount has endured an injury-ravaged season, making just 14 appearances in all competitions.

However, he scored his first goal for the club against Brentford on Saturday and returns to Chelsea when United travel to Stamford Bridge on Thursday night.

And, speaking ahead of the clash with Mauricio Pochettino's side, Ten Hag praised Mount and insisted it was his decision to leave Chelsea rather than the club's.

'I don't think Chelsea wanted to sell him,' he said. 'They wanted to keep him and offered him a new contract many times. But he wanted to make this step.

'He's a fantastic football player. It's important first that he's getting and keeping fit. You see it now with Licha (Martinez), you want to avoid that.

'So you have to do it very carefully. We want to use him so he can have benefit and have a contribution to the team, as he did on Saturday.'

The ESPN report goes onto claim how Mount has struggled to deal with his limited availability since joining United, with the midfielder keen to win over the fans as quickly as possible.

It also adds that Mount was left disappointed by reports he left Chelsea for financial reasons, which could result in him receiving a frosty reception at Stamford Bridge.

The midfielder instead felt the decision was made for him by the Blues' hierarchy, including Todd Boehly, who were under pressure to raise money last summer.

Mount made 195 appearances for Chelsea after making his debut in 2019, scoring 33 goals, while he was also part of their Champions League winning side in 2021.

United head into the clash on Thursday 11 points off the top four, while Chelsea are languishing in 12th, but remain just five points behind West Ham in the final European spot in seventh.