Amorim's AC Milan move could offer Mason Mount an escape from United exile

Ruben Amorim has been named AC Milan head coach, ending his spell away from management following his January sacking at Manchester United — and the appointment could have significant consequences for one of Old Trafford’s most peripheral figures, Mason Mount.

“There are ambitions that stay with you throughout your career, and coaching AC Milan has always been one of mine,” Amorim said upon arriving at the San Siro. The Portuguese coach spent just over a year at United, a tenure defined by tactical friction, a public falling-out with Marcus Rashford, and a decision to drop Bruno Fernandes into a deeper role to accommodate his preferred 3-4-2-1 system.

That system also squeezed out Kobbie Mainoo, who has since flourished under interim manager Michael Carrick’s return to a 4-2-3-1 shape. Mainoo’s resurgence has been so complete that he is now part of England’s World Cup squad preparing to face Croatia in Dallas — a scenario that would have seemed unlikely at the height of Amorim’s tenure.

Mount’s situation is less encouraging. With Fernandes the first-choice attacking midfielder in Carrick’s system, and Matheus Cunha arguably ahead of Mount as a secondary option in that role, the former Chelsea man has struggled to find a consistent place in the XI. Competition on the flanks from Bryan Mbeumo, Amad, and Patrick Dorgu narrows his options further, while Mainoo has made the deeper midfield position his own.

Injuries have compounded Mount’s difficulties, and although he enjoyed a brief run in the side during Mbeumo’s absence at the Africa Cup of Nations, his standing under Carrick has not matched the confidence Amorim once showed in him. In December, after Mount scored against Wolves, Amorim was effusive: “He can defend, he can attack, the quality when he touches the ball is really good, so it’s not a surprise for me. He’s a different type of leader.”

That public backing, rare during a turbulent United season, may now carry fresh relevance. Amorim knows Mount well, rates him highly, and arrives at a Milan side in need of creative reinforcement. For a player searching for a route back to regular football, a reunion in Serie A could represent the clearest path forward.