If we sign Mason Mount, I believe there will be changing of tactic next season. And this is mainly because ten Hag and the scouting teams couldn’t find a deep-playmaker that has similar profile as FDJ (Someone with press resistance who can be ball carrier and progressive passer). Instead of playing with 4231, he will play 433. We see this changing formation in his Ajax team when FDJ left.
The following below is Ajax attacking transition vs Dortmund in 2021/2022 season. You can see that Gravenberch is nowhere near in Ajax build up play phase. It‘s the keeper, two CB, a DM, and the two full backs the ones who got involved in this. Among these 6 players, Alvarez is the one being assigned to play more simple passes and doesn’t get involved on the ball often (see below stats), this suitable to Casemiro who is not a press resistance so I think we will see a different role in Casemiro next season in comparison to this season.
I think our build up and attacking transition will be something like this:
GK
Varane Martinez
Casemiro
RB —————— Shaw
Antony - Mount - Bruno - Rashford
ST
Bruno will play in Gravenberch position while Mount will play next to him. Our full backs will cover the half space and sometime swap position with the wingers.
Mount will be perfect to play in this set up and system because we will get to utilise his strength to do high press, scoring goals and assists.
I took pictures of these FBref end of last season so this is based on 21/22 season.