Mason Mount has already given a crucial update on which club he will join next

Mason Mount has reportedly moved closer to a move to Manchester United as Liverpool look set to miss out due to one decisive factor.

Of course, it’s potentially bad news for Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool to lose another key target after losing out on the likes of Jude Bellingham earlier in the window, but there’s a justification for Mount choosing United over Liverpool - should that be the case - and it comes down to their European status next season.

The Reds fell short of the Champions League places to United and Newcastle, meaning they will compete in the Europa League for the first time since Klopp’s first season in charge.

Without Champions League football, Liverpool’s bargaining power is reduced and players opting to move this summer may not want to waste a season outside of Europe’s premier competition - and Mount choosing United may be a clear indicator of this.

According to the Telegraph, Chelsea will negotiate and sell if Mount indicates he wants to leave, but there is a £15-20m gulf in valuation and United are hoping for under £60m.

New Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino wants to keep the player, but the club and player have failed to make any progress in contract discussions, so his exit looks all but confirmed.

For Liverpool, they can still attract a certain calibre of players; Klopp said this during the final knockings of the season but losing out on a player of Mount’s quality for such a reason could be a bad sign.

“But all the rest is the same as before: a fantastic club with a really good football team - and a better one hopefully next year. It’s really that simple. Still Liverpool. We’re really attractive to a lot of players.” Klopp said on May 12.

Whilst it is a true statment, the reality is that their realistic signings this summer are likely to be players who aren’t of Mount’s stature, as in household names with strong European, club and international experience.

The likes of Manu Kone and Khephren Thuram are emerging as realistic signings and both are young up-and-coming midfielders, rather than someone like Mount who has already played a key role in a Champions League success.

In terms of the big picture, can Liverpool attract the level of midfielders necessary to compete with the likes of Manchester City next season? It remains to be seen.