While some question the possibility of Man United signing Chelsea star Mason Mount, they may not be aware of the players who have come down this path before him.
It was confirmed on Wednesday morning that the Red Devils have declared England international Mount one of their top summer transfer priorities.
Erik ten Hag’s side are likely to face competition from a number of other Premier League sides, with Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal heavily linked with the midfielder.
However, Man United’s pursuit of Mount could be given a boost by the good relationship between the two clubs, who have had deals on many occasions.
And so Mail Sport profile here the players who have previously moved from Stamford Bridge to Old Trafford.
Manchester United are preparing to place a £55m bid for Chelsea star Mason Mount
Ray Wilkins
The late Ray Wilkins will always be remembered as one of England’s finest footballers and one of the first ever to join Manchester United from Chelsea.
Wilkins, who died in April 2018 aged 68, found success at his youth club Chelsea in the 1970s, having first joined as an apprentice.
At the age of 18, the midfielder was named club captain and his outstanding performances helped the Blues climb back up to the First Division.
He managed to score 30 goals in 179 appearances for the west London side before finally joining Manchester United in 1979.
Wilkins joined the Red Devils for £825,000, which was the highest amount Chelsea had been paid for a single player at the time.
In his five years at the club he scored ten goals in all competitions and picked up accolades, including being voted Player of the Year by fans away in 1984.
Eventually his performances for United caught attention across Europe and it wasn’t long before Italian giants successfully put forward a £1.5million bid for Wilkins.
In 1997, stints with Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, Queens Park Rangers, Crystal Palace, Rangers, Hibernian and others brought Wilkins to the end of a great career.
Ray Wilkins was appointed Chelsea captain aged 18 before joining Man United four years later
Juan Mata
After Wilkins came Mata. The Spanish playmaker made his name in Spain, more specifically in Valencia, before finally moving to Stamford Bridge in 2011.
The £23.5million signing immediately lived up to expectations after notching six goals and 13 assists in his debut Premier League season.
Overall, Mata has 32 goals and 58 assists in his 135 appearances for the Blues. During this period he also won the Champions League, Europa League and FA Cup.
Despite winning two consecutive Player of the Year awards at Chelsea, his time in west London came to an end during the 2014 winter transfer window.
Newly appointed Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho wasn’t a fan of the Spaniard and was quick to send him to Old Trafford after the Red Devils bid £37.1million.
The attacking playmaker spent nine years at United, initially as a key player before his appearances diminished in later years.
In his 285 appearances for the Red Devils, he scored 51 goals and received 47 assists while also winning the FA Cup, Europa League and League Cup on the side.
He ended his spell at Manchester during last summer’s transfer window and has since plied his trade in Turkey with Super League club Galatasaray.
Juan Mata played 12 seasons in England before moving to Turkey in the summer
Nemanja Matic
Barring Mason Mount actually making a move to Old Trafford, Serbian midfield maestro Nemanja Matic is the third and final player to make the move.
The defensive midfielder had an interesting path to west London, having first joined from Košice in 2009 for a transfer fee of around £1.5million.
In that time, he only made two appearances for the club before joining Portuguese club Benfica just two years later, where he shone.
His performances in Portugal suggested Chelsea should never have parted with him and three years after his sale he re-signed him for £21million.
During his four years there he proved to be a crucial player for the Blues, where he helped the club win two Premier League trophies and an FA Cup.
In 2017, Man United considered Matic one of their top priorities and were quick to put forward a £40m offer for the midfielder, which was successful.
Despite spending a year longer at United than at Chelsea, the Serb left Old Trafford without a trophy.
Last summer he joined Italian club Roma, where he met José Mourinho for the third time in his professional career.
Nemanja Matic (left) has played with Jose Mourinho (centre) at Chelsea, Manchester United and now Roma
PLAYERS WHO WENT TO CHELSEA FROM UNITED
Mark Hughes
Juan Sebastian Verona
Radamel Falcao
Mal Donaghy
Mark Bosnian
