Mason Mount signing a new contract and remaining at Chelsea beyond this summer continues to look increasingly unlikely with the 2022/23 season at its final weekend. Talks over an extension looked set to take place prior to the World Cup, but have been postponed on numerous occasions with alternatives presented that have also been rejected.
The 24-year-old was offered a one-year extension to prevent a summer departure and give the club more time to agree on terms, but that proposal was rebuffed. Injuries for Mount have made the campaign a challenging one, with the struggles Chelsea have faced this season also making it difficult for him to deliver consistent performances.
Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United are all in the transfer race for Mount. As football.london reported, Jurgen Klopp's side were the frontrunners to sign the England international this summer, but a new report from the Athletic revealed that Man United were his transfer preference.
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A goodbye to the Chelsea supporters, if he does leave the club this summer, looks to have been snatched away from Mount through injury. An ongoing abdominal issue saw him undergo minor surgery last month with some hope that he would play again this season, however Frank Lampard has ruled it as unlikely.
Speaking about Mount ahead of Chelsea facing Newcastle, he said: "Mason is going to be really tight." That update came following the interim boss's verdict on Mount's future that came before the clash with Man United on Thursday.
"I think that’s a difficult situation because from working with Mason - and not just Mason, other players when I was here before - they have gone on to be really important players for the club that have a real relationship with the fans.
"I think with Mason particularly as an individual, I don’t know what the solution is going to be because it’s the club and Mason’s issue. I don’t know where exactly Mason is at personally, he’s got a year left on his contract.
"I know he’s held in high regard at the club and I know the club are trying to do what they can to make him stay, but I also think that Mason, I’d never want to stand here in the modern day and talk about what a player should do because they’ll see it all from their own eyes."
Chelsea are holding out for at least £55million to sell the Cobham graduate this summer, but favourites Man United are unlikely to pay that price tag, according to The Independent.
Both clubs are expected to hold firm on their stance regarding Mount, but Chelsea may be forced to succumb to United's terms first. The Blues need to balance their books for the financial year and funds for that will mostly arrive in the form of sales with the FFP deadline set at June 30.
The England international leaving the club for a sizeable fee would count as pure profit for Chelsea which makes a sale, the closer the summer window opening gets, extremely likely.
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