Mount says Man Utd should aim for European return

Qualifying for Europe is "the focus" for Manchester United this season says midfielder Mason Mount.

The 2025-26 campaign will be only the second season without European football for United since English clubs were banned by Uefa in the 1980s following the Heysel stadium tragedy.

Their 15th-place league finish last season and Europa League final defeat by Tottenham meant there will be no European matches at Old Trafford for the first time since 14-15.

"Europe is a massive, massive thing for us," Mount said.

"The Champions League would be amazing for us and as a group we want to be playing in that competition.

"But I'd say Europe. I think that's the focus."

Ruben Amorim's side need to improve on their 24-25 performance, when they finished 23 points behind seventh-placed Nottingham Forest, who took up the last of the European qualifying places based on a league finish.

United have already spent more than £125m to bring in forwards Matheus Cunha from Wolves and Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford.

They also continue to be linked with strikers, with Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins' the most recent subject of speculation following suggestions of a move for Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson.

Both rumours involved out-of-favour winger Alejandro Garnacho going the other way.

United sources are adamant no deal is imminent, with Villa privately saying Watkins is going nowhere.

The club have travelled to the Unired States for their three-match Premier League Summer Series campaign featuring games against West Ham, Bournemouth and Everton.

In the meantime, Garnacho and fellow outcasts Jadon Sancho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia are training with club staff at United's Carrington training complex.

Real Betis are still keen to bring Antony back to the club after last season's successful loan spell, while Juventus are keen on Sancho but need to create room in their squad before they can pursue any deal.