Mason Mount arrived at Manchester United in the summer of 2023, with eyebrows raised over the Red Devils shelling out a fee of around £60million for his signature.
The Englishman left boyhood club Chelsea to move to Old Trafford, but his time in the North West failed to live up to his mammoth price tag.
He only made a total of 54 appearances in all competitions, scoring just five times, with his last effort coming against Sunderland in the Premier League.
However, injuries have plagued the 26-year-old massively in recent years, subsequently failing to record more than 20 league appearances in any of his two full seasons in Manchester.
It’s unclear exactly what levels he can reach at the Theater of Dreams, but part of his struggles in previous seasons could be down to the pressure generated by the number seven jersey.
Ranking United’s best number 7 in the Premier League era
In recent years, the number seven shirt at United has been something of a curse, with many players struggling to live up to the expectations it brings.
Players like Ángel Di María, Michael Owen and Alexis Sanchez failed to impress while wearing their number on their backs, but that wasn’t always the case.
Eric Cantona was an iconic figure at Old Trafford, but that wasn’t limited to his performances on the ball, with many talking points emerging from his time at the Red Devils.
The Frenchman became known for his famous king-fu kick on a supporter, which led to a hefty ban, but he still managed to rack up incredible numbers during his seven years.
He scored 82 times in his 185 appearances for Manchester, being arguably one of the best players to ever wear the number seven shirt for the Red Devils.
However, he has been unable to reach the levels produced by Cristiano Ronaldo, with the Portugal international exceeding all expectations at United.
He arrived as an unknown to many supporters in 2003, but he went on to rack up over 340 appearances during two separate spells at Old Trafford.
Ronaldo even won a Ballon d’Or during his first spell at the club, highlighting the quality he possesses and even becoming known as CR7 thanks to his time at Manchester.
However, the most iconic player to have worn such a jersey at the Theater of Dreams is arguably David Beckham, with the Englishman constantly being associated with such a jersey throughout his career.
A product of the club’s academy, the midfielder has become more than just a footballer, with Beckham now a celebrity around the world.
From mid-range strikes to incredible free kicks, he truly managed to produce it all for the Red Devils, with real hope that another star can replicate such a feat in the future.
The United star who could retire Mount’s No.7 shirt
The United hierarchy backed manager Ruben Amorim during the summer transfer market to try to improve his chances of success in 2025/26 and beyond.
The 40-year-old has spent more than £200 million on new additions in the final third in an attempt to deliver an impressive new attacking department to his first team.
Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko have all arrived at Old Trafford, but none of them have retired the iconic number seven jersey at Mount.
However, even though the Englishman still wears such a shirt, that could be about to change in the coming years with the emergence of academy star Shea Lacey.
At 18, the striker has a big future ahead of him, but he has already shown glimpses of his quality within the Red Devils’ youth side over the past few seasons.
|
Shea Lacey – stats for Man Utd at youth level |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Competition |
Games |
Goals |
Aids |
|
U18 Premier League |
33 |
9 |
7 |
|
UEFA Youth League |
4 |
0 |
0 |
|
FA Youth Cup |
3 |
0 |
2 |
|
Total: |
40 |
9 |
9 |
|
Statistics via Transfermarkt |
|||
He made 13 appearances in all competitions last campaign, scoring just twice, but he has already matched such a tally in his first three outings of 2025/26.
Lacey, who was described as “incredible” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is a left-footed striker who prefers to cut down the right side on his stronger foot – a truly impressive quality that could make him a huge threat.
He has also demonstrated his ball-carrying abilities in the past, springing into action after his previous injury stoppage – possessing the fearlessness that United often lacked in the final third.
The winger’s highlights in recent months showcase the raw natural ability he has in his arsenal, but it is crucial he is managed in the right way to reach his full potential.
The young academy prospects have recently established themselves in the United first team, but given recent struggles on the pitch, it is important that Lacey is catapulted into the limelight at the right time.
However, he has all the tools to thrive in England’s top flight in the years to come, with the youngster potentially having all the tools to take the number seven off Mount’s back.
