Chelsea manager Graham Potter insists a decision on Mason Mount’s future lies with the club.
The midfielder, an academy graduate with the Blues, has fewer than 18 months left on his contract at Stamford Bridge.
Premier League rivals Liverpool are increasingly linked with a move for the England international, who Standard Sport understand the club will sell this summer if an agreement cannot be reached.
Co-owner Todd Boehly is handling high-stakes contract talks with the 24-year-old’s representatives, though they are currently at an impasse over wages and the length of the deal.
Mount is understood to want a salary reflecting his status as a regular England international, while the club are said to be eager to tie him down a seven-year extension.
While Liverpool lead the chase, both Manchester clubs cannot be discounted, with United’s former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag in particular aware of Mount’s capabilities having watched him closely during a loan spell at Vitesse.
Speaking of a potential move away for Mount, Potter said: “Mason has been great to work with. He’s been top. He’s suffering like the rest of us because we want to do better.
“In terms of the contract, that’s between him and the club. I am the head coach so my focus is on helping the players improve. That is the focus for me.”
