“Mason Mount… I have to tell you I love that kid,” said Ruben Amorim in November.
“You can look in his eyes that he wants this so bad. And this is the most important thing for me.
“I know he was suffering from injuries, he was not on the pitch, but now he’s trying to stay fit and we hope he can continue to be fit, to show all the talent that he’s shown, for example, in Chelsea."
A few weeks later, Mount made a brilliant cameo from the bench against Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League, helping Manchester United turn the game around in the second half.
Mount was deservedly given a start against Manchester City, but he slumped to the turf after picking up a non-contact injury within 10 minutes and he looked desolate as he was replaced by Kobbie Mainoo.
The 25-year-old was consoled by Bruno Fernandes and a member of United staff accompanied him as he went straight down the tunnel. After the game, Mount was one of the first to walk through the mixed zone and he accepted the offer of an embrace from rapper Aitch as he departed.
Mount deserved some fortune after his return from injury before Christmas and you had to feel for him as he was substituted in the Manchester derby. That was Mount's moment to show what he could do in one of the most important games of the season and he suffered another setback.
Amorim has said Mount "wants it really badly" and it's understood he even underwent a summer boot camp in Portugal last summer to ensure he arrived at pre-season in peak condition.
Mount's injury record in Manchester has been questioned but he rarely suffered issues before his move. He played 279 games between 2017/2018 and 2022/23, and the injuries he has picked up at United have been muscle issues, which have been a problem at Carrington for several players.
The medical department at Carrington has been overhauled and there will be a further shake-up given head of sports medicine Gary O'Driscoll is set to leave the club after 18 months.
O'Driscoll's exit after such a short stint suggests something still isn't right in the medical department, which perhaps helps to explain why a huge number of muscle injuries have been picked up.
The good news is Mount returned to training earlier this month and was included in the squad for the first time since his injury against Leicester at the King Power Stadium before the break.
The international break has given Mount another fortnight and he will be raring to go when the Premier League resumes next week. He seems tailor-made to play in one of the No.10 roles in Amorim's system and everyone is hoping he has a clean bill of health for the remainder of the season
Although Mount was signed in the summer of 2023, it feels like his time at the club might only truly get started in the coming weeks, and Amorim's arrival has been a huge boost for him.
Amorim hasn't hidden his affection and it's not often you hear a coach say they "love" a player.