Mason Mount ‘the boy who had a dream’ joined Chelsea at the age of six. The academy graduate has has had a very eventful career so far. He was originally known as the Frank Lampard regen’ and was endorsed into the team by the legend himself. Before which he enjoyed very successful loan spells at Vitesse and Derby County. After being integrated into the team, the Golden Boy didn’t take long to settle in and won two consecutive Player of the Season awards.
The so called managers’ favorite was always one of the first names on the team sheet because there aren’t many who can offer what he adds to the squad. As a result of which the 24 year old midfielder has already racked up 36 International caps with the Three Lions under Gareth Southgate.
The Home grown talent was on an upward spiral until this season. At this moment, Mason Mount cuts a frustrated figure. He was the third player in the Premier League to reach double figures in both goals and assists after Eden Hazard, in spite of playing in a much deeper role. But these days, the goals and assists have dried up.
The England International is void of confidence which is very evident as he’s barely attempted any shots or any take ons this season. He has often been found missing passes in the final third and his decision making too has been very poor. His form has only gotten worse as the season progressed and has reached a point where his presence on the field is not felt. The industrial athlete was known for his work rate and effort off the ball. However in the last few matches, he has been found pressing too very rarely.
Should Chelsea consider selling Mason Mount?
All of this has led to the fans scapegoating Mount who is only one of the many players who have been underperforming. This is also because of the fact that Chels‘ have heavily relied on Mount over the last few seasons. And in spite of all the hate and disrespect to an extent that he probably doesn’t deserve, Mount has always been one of the last players to leave the pitch after the match. The young midfielder has always waited back and applauded the fans trying to console them, taking responsibility of the poor displays that the entire squad keeps putting on. Somehow most of this goes unnoticed and Mount’s bond with the club gets questioned.
This has now been fuelled with the contract situation. As per the very reliable journalist David Ornstein at The Athletic Football Podcast, “Mason Mount contract talks halted while Chelsea focus on PL/CL. Not expected to resume until summer – when club intend to agree new deal for 24yo or sell. CFC presented several offers last summer + autumn but rejected by midfielder”.
This situation is alarming as losing a player of such caliber would always be a loss. To worsen it, the clubs monitoring the situation are Liverpool and Manchester United as if the situation arises, Mount would prefer a move to a top Premier League club.
However if you do not look at it from the supporters’ perspective and consider the situation from Mount or the clubs’ perspective, a move away from Stamford Bridge makes more sense. Over the last two months, the Blues have switched to a 4-2-3-1. This formation requires two no.6’s to operate in a double pivot and a No.10 to link them to the striker.
Mount is more of a no.8 and if Potter sticks to this formation, he will find it difficult to get into the squad and have a considerable impact. Chels’ already have Joao Felix who’s way better than Mount in that role, and will soon have Christopher Nkunku. When it comes to the wings too, Mount isn’t up there in the pecking order. On the contrary, Klopp desperately needs a No.8 and the English International would go straight into his starting lineup.
Mount is one of the lowest paid players at the club and now has apparently demanded wages close to what the highest paid CFC players earn. He is definitely one of the most influential players in the dressing room and was one of our important players over the last few seasons. But with his current form and the options that Chelsea already have, Mount’s role has been reduced to that of a squad player and his wage demands seem to be unreasonable. Some reports also suggest that Mount doesn’t want to sign a longer team deal (six-seven years). And due to these reasons, the chances of him leaving the West London giants are higher than ever which is exactly why the club have decided to halt until the end of the season and then take a decision considering all aspects.
Irrespective of what happens in the summer, the Chelsea faithful must stop spreading hate and back Mount as he’s always been a top professional. At a tender age of 24, he has already emerged as a leader and is always the first one to take responsibility when the club goes through a rough patch. He might be in the worst form of his career, but as the saying goes ‘Form is temporary, Class is permanent’, we do expect Mount to make his comeback and help the club get back to where they belong. And if possible, continue as a Blue for the foreseeable future.