Liverpool’s failure to sign Mason Mount from Chelsea proved a blessing in disguise, and their alternative, Dominik Szoboszlai, has made a mockery of it.

Liverpool’s failure to sign Mason Mount from Chelsea proved a blessing in disguise, and their alternative, Dominik Szoboszlai, has made a mockery of it.

In the lead-up to the summer transfer window and into its early weeks, it was widely expected that Mount would reluctantly leave Chelsea and join Liverpool.

The groundwork was in place for a deal and, with a homegrown issue developing in Jurgen Klopp‘s squad, the England international was seen as an ideal signing.

But with Man United emerging as rivals for the midfielder, Liverpool were eventually priced out a transfer, which resulted in Mount moving to Old Trafford for £55 million.

Three days before that deal was announced, the Reds had already brought in their alternative, with £60 million paid to RB Leipzig to bring in Szoboszlai.

So far this season, Mount has made eight appearances for United, assisting just once in the League Cup, more recently losing his place in the side with Scott McTominay, Sofyan Amrabat and Christian Eriksen all preferred.

Szoboszlai, meanwhile, has been an unbridled success at Liverpool, with two goals and two assists in his 13 games, playing more minutes than any other outfielder.

According to The Athletic, he has done so on wages of less than half that demanded by Mount – and subsequently paid by United.

Mount’s contract at United is worth a basic £200,000 per week, rising to £250,000 a week with various bonuses, while Szoboszlai earns “around £120,000 a week.”

 

While the decision not to sign Mount was not entirely Liverpool’s, with it made clear he wanted a move to Manchester, it has undoubtedly paid off.

 

In Szoboszlai, the Reds have brought in a cornerstone of their side for many years to come, while Mount appears to be floundering at Old Trafford as he was at points with Chelsea.

 

 

“Harry Maguire was going to go to Manchester City and Mason Mount was going to go to Liverpool,” Gary Neville recalled on Sky Sports at the weekend.

 

“But they come here and it is a graveyard for them.”

 

Mount is not the only one, either: Moises Caicedo’s resolve to chase the money at Chelsea has not sparked into life on the pitch yet, while Romeo Lavia is yet to feature for the Blues due to injury.

 

Jude Bellingham has been a remarkable success at Real Madrid, with 13 goals and three assists in 13 games so far, along with a goal and three assists in three England games.

 

But in the landscape of their midfield rebuild, Liverpool appear to have won out in signing Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo for a fraction of the cost of other proposed deals.