'Complicated' - Graham Potter issues Mason Mount Chelsea contract update amid Liverpool & Newcastle interest
- Mount's contract talks have snagged
- Multiple Premier League clubs circling
- Potter admits situation is "complicated"
WHAT HAPPENED? The 24-year-old midfielder's current deal expires in 2024 and he is yet to see any progress on a new proposal. This has prompted the likes of Liverpool, Newcastle and Manchester United to wait eagerly in the wings over a potential summer move. Potter admitted that he would love Mount to stay at the club on a personal level, although insists it is best to let both parties sort a deal.
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WHAT THEY SAID: "Ultimately it is between the club and Mason," the Chelsea manager said in a press conference. "I have spoken to him numerous times about his situation, football and life generally. My feelings for Mason are clear. He is a fantastic person firstly but sometimes these things happen. They are just complicated and it is best that I speak little about it, let them get on with it in deciding what is right for both parties. I am not naive. I know it is an important time for him and an important contract. These things have to be right for him and his family. It’s important he makes a decision on that basis."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Mount has suffered a drop in form this season, with just eight goal involvements in 32 matches across all competitions - a long way off the 29 he achieved last campaign. It is likely, however, that this record is a sign of a wider malaise within the club, as very few players have hit the heights of previous campaigns, with Thiago Silva perhaps the only real exception.
Despite Mount proving himself as a key cog under three different managerial reigns, the mass influx of creative players that were signed in January - and will likely continue to arrive this summer - may be enough to sway the player against a new deal, especially if neither party can agree on terms.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
WHAT NEXT? While Mount remains sidelined with a pelvis problem, Potter and Chelsea will be hoping to build on a memorable Champions League victory in mid-week when they travel to Leicester on Saturday.