Mason Mount arrived at Manchester United in the summer of 2023, with eyebrows being raised over the Red Devils forking out a fee in the region of £60m for his signature.
The Englishman left boyhood club, Chelsea, to move to Old Trafford, but his time in the North West has failed to live up to his mammoth price tag.
He’s only made a total of 54 appearances across all competitions, scoring just five times, with his latest effort coming against Sunderland in the Premier League.
However, injuries have massively plagued the 26-year-old in recent years, subsequently failing to register over 20 appearances in the league in any of his two full seasons in Manchester.
It’s unclear what levels he can reach at the Theatre of Dreams, but part of his struggles in previous seasons could be down to the pressure generated from the number seven shirt.
Ranking United’s best #7 in the Premier League era
Over the last few years, the number seven shirt at United has been somewhat of a curse, with numerous players struggling to match the expectations it comes with.
The likes of Ángel Di María, Michael Owen and Alexis Sanchez have all been unable to impress when wearing the number on their back – but that hasn’t always been the case.
Eric Cantona was an iconic figure at Old Trafford, but that came in more ways than just his performances with the ball, with numerous talking points emerging from his spell at the Red Devils.
The Frenchman became known for his infamous king-fu kick on a supporter, leading to a hefty ban, but he still managed to rack up some incredible numbers during his seven-year spell.
He scored 82 times in his 185 appearances in Manchester, arguably being one of the best players to ever wear the number seven shirt for the Red Devils.
However, he wasn’t quite able to reach the levels produced by Cristiano Ronaldo, with the Portuguese international exceeding everyone’s expectations at United.
He arrived as an unknown quantity to many supporters in 2003, but he would go on to rack up over 340 appearances across two separate spells at Old Trafford.
Ronaldo even won a Ballon d’Or during his first stint at the club, highlighting the quality he possesses and even becoming known as CR7 as a result of his spell in Manchester.
However, arguably the most iconic player to wear such a shirt at the Theatre of Dreams is David Beckham, with the Englishman being constantly associated with such a shirt throughout his career.
A product of the club’s academy, the midfielder made himself more than just a footballer, with Beckham now being a household celebrity around the entire globe.
From halfway line strikes to incredible free-kicks, he truly did manage to produce everything for the Red Devils, with a real hope that one other star can replicate such a feat in the future.
The United star who could take the #7 shirt off Mount
The United hierarchy backed manager Ruben Amorim during the summer transfer market to try and aid his chance of success in 2025/26 and beyond.
The 40-year-old spent over £200m on new additions within the final third to try and offer a new and impressive attacking department to his first-team squad.
Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko all arrived at Old Trafford, but none of them took the iconic number seven shirt away from Mount.
However, whilst the Englishman still wears such a shirt, that could be about to change in the years ahead with the emergence of academy star Shea Lacey.
At 18, the forward has a huge future ahead of him, but he’s already shown glimpses of his quality within the youth levels of the Red Devils in the last few seasons.
U18 Premier League
33
9
7
UEFA Youth League
4
0
0
FA Youth Cup
3
0
2
Total:
40
9
9
He made 13 appearances across all competitions last campaign, netting just twice, but he’s already matched such a tally in his first three outings of 2025/26.
Lacey, who’s been labelled “incredible” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is a left-footed forward who favours cutting off the right side onto his stronger foot – a really impressive quality that could make him a huge threat.
He’s also demonstrated his ball-carrying skills in the past, making the step-up to action after his previous injury lay-off – possessing the fearlessness that United have often lacked in the final third.
The winger’s highlights from recent months showcase the natural raw ability he has in his arsenal, but it’s crucial that he’s managed in the right way to reach his full potential.
Young academy prospects have made themselves at home in the United first-team of late, but given the recent struggles on the pitch, it’s important Lacey is catapulted into the limelight at the right time.
However, he does have all the tools to thrive in England’s top-flight in the years ahead, with the youngster potentially having all the tools to take the number seven off Mount’s back.
