Two of Mason Mount's best performances so far this season have both come in England shirts. To the annoyance of Graham Potter he hasn't been able to get the most from the 23-year-old, but that's part of a wider problem at Chelsea - it's not all Mount's fault.
The World Cup presented a good opportunity for the midfielder to reset, though. His frustration earlier this season after losing his starting spot under Gareth Southgate was clear to see. In the substitute appearance against Germany back in September, Mount's introduction changed the game as he scored a brilliant goal, his first of the season for club and country.
In the months since then he has only added two more goals, an underwhelming total for a player that registered more than 20 goals and assists in the league alone last season. Mount has still remained a key player for his domestic and national managers, and Southgate's decision to pick him against Iran demonstrated the ingrained trust he gains.
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Potter, watching from England, will be hoping that once the World Cup finishes, Mount can take some of his Three Lions performance, and replicate them in a blue shirt. His form often coincides with the fortunes of his team and Potter will need those to be on the upturn in December and January.
In the longer run, Chelsea need to tie Mount down so that he joins Reece James and Armando Broja in committing their futures for the next half a decade to Stamford Bridge. Although talks have taken place, Mount has so far not yielded.
His deal expires in 2024, so Chelsea do have time, and the expectation remains that Mount will sign, but given the sharks will begin to circle once it gets to the final 18-months and that always complicates matters, the sooner something is sorted the better it will be for all parties.
That being said, if there wasn't enough determination and motivation to get Mount to sign, be it offering a larger package or adding an extra year, then Declan Rice may well hold the key. The West Ham captain is looking more and more likely to be on the move in the summer as he also enters the final 18-months of his deal.
Chelsea have been long-term admirers of Rice despite allowing him to leave as a 14-year-old, and he fits the bill for the midfield profile Potter is desperate to bring in. Although Rice's value is well in advance of £100million, clubs looking to buy in the summer will hold the advantage due to his contract and a reluctance to sign an extension.
That could mean that his price drops to a more affordable £70million. Outside of just bringing in Rice though, the England star is Mount's best friend and the pair have a great relationship on and off the pitch. After beating Iran together, Rice tweeted:
Mount posted something similar before the tournament started:
Being friends isn't enough on its own to sanction a large sum of money on a transfer, but as Chelsea look to tie down Mount and sign Rice, the pair could be their own motivation to become the next generation at Chelsea.
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