It took some time, but Mason Mount established himself well enough on loan to be named the fans’ player of the season. Can he make it at Chelsea?
Vitesse and Chelsea have had a strong relationship for years now. This season, the Blues have no less than three players at the club. Mason Mount, one of the most promising academy stars in his age group, has just won the fans’ player of the season award.
This is of itself impressive. It becomes more impressive considering he was not a starter immediately. When the season began, Mount was only a substitute option in the league. He was given starts in the Europa League in which he did so well that he earned starts in the Eredivisie. From about the end of November on he has been a near guaranteed starter.
He is a loan army success story. The loan army is not just about sending a player somewhere that they start immediately. Sometimes it is about fighting one’s way into a squad. Mount could have been discouraged by his early months. Instead, he buckled down and made himself an unquestioning starter. The fans recognized the commitment he showed by giving him the player of the season award.
Now the question of “what next?” can come up. Chelsea have sent dozens of players to Vitesse on loan. Some were supposed to be the next big thing. Few have made it all the way to the Chelsea first team even once.
Perhaps the most comparable player to Mount is compatriot Lewis Baker. Baker was similarly rated out of Chelsea’s academy. He also struggled for playing time upon arriving at Vitesse. He eventually fought his way in to become a starter. Baker then decided to stay another year despite already being well proven at that level. A strange loan to Middlesboro followed which has been nothing short of a disaster.
How can Chelsea prevent Mount from being another Baker? One way is to insure that he is challenged. It took Mount till November to crack into the team. But now he looks like he has the full idea of the Eredivisie. The only possible way for him to improve while staying in the league is by going to another Dutch team with European football.
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But another, riskier option could come from copying Andreas Christensen’s career path. Like Christensen, Mount is highly rated at that young age. If a Bundesliga (or even La Liga) team is willing to not only commit to a loan, but give a reasonable chance at playing time, then Chelsea should not hesitate to send Mount there for a year or two. If he is as promising as shown, he should be capable of making it in the league.
There is also the creeping sense that maybe Mount is ready for more than a Bundesliga or La Liga loan. He is a genuine talent on a level not seen out of the academy in years. Were it not for his slight physique, he would be ready for a Premier League loan right now. Or perhaps even Chelsea.
On the technical side, Mount is truly a teenage phenomenon. His vision, passing, and even shooting all show wisdom far beyond his years. His only current negative is his physicality which can be worked on to some degree.
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He is a special player that Chelsea must tread carefully with. The right loan move(s) can set him up to make the first team like Christensen. The wrong move(s) can see him stagnate like Baker and so many others. The Blues must be careful because Mount is a world class talent in waiting.