Liverpool and Juventus are reportedly keeping close tabs on Mason Mount’s contract situation at Chelsea after rumours of a breakthrough are dismissed.
The England international, who has been called up to Gareth Southgate’s 26-man World Cup squad, has been named Chelsea Player of the Year by fans for the last two seasons.
Mount, who has not been at his best this season with two goals and two assists in 13 Premier League matches, has a contract which expires in the summer of 2024.
The 23-year-old’s mixed form has coincided with Chelsea being poor this season with new manager Graham Potter taking just 11 points from a possible 24 since replacing Thomas Tuchel in September.
Chelsea, who currently sit eighth in the Premier League table, reportedly opened talks with Mount and Reece James at the same time earlier this season with the latter signing a new bumper contract.
A report yesterday in The Athletic insisted that Chelsea had made a ‘positive breakthrough’ in talks with the website adding that ‘both sides walked out of this latest encounter thinking a significant step had been taken’.
The Athletic continued: ‘There is genuine hope now that things could be concluded after another scheduled meeting takes place in January and that Mount will sign then.’
However, The Guardian claims today that there is ‘sign of breakthrough in negotiations over new contract’ with talks over a potential new deal ‘put on hold until after the World Cup’.
The newspaper says that Juventus and Liverpool are ‘keeping track of the growing uncertainty around Mason Mount’s future’ and his situation ‘has prompted clubs to check whether he could be lured away from Stamford Bridge’.
Despite striking a negative tone in the report, The Guardian adds: ‘Chelsea’s owners have no interest in losing Mount, who has been attached to the club for his entire career, and remain optimistic that negotiations will end on a positive note. Mount has been built up as a future Chelsea captain and the hierarchy want to reward his performances with an improved deal.’
They go on to suggest that a deal is ‘not guaranteed’ with Mount demanding ‘a new deal to reflect his status as one of Graham Potter’s most important players’.
Chelsea have not managed expiring contracts too well in recent years with the Blues losing Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen to La Liga at the end of last season, while Thiago Silva, Jorginho and N’Golo Kante’s deals all run…
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