Frank Lampard says he is powerless to influence Mason Mount's contract negotiations with Chelsea in his role as caretaker manager.
The 24-year-old is in the final year of his contract and has transfer interest from Liverpool, who are leading the race, Manchester United and Newcastle.
His renewal talks have not gone well so far but co-owner Todd Boehly re-iterated his desire to keep Mount in west London last week.
Lampard gave Mount his debut and made him the youngest captain since John Terry in 2021.
Even still, he says he is powerless to influence the negotiations: “At this point, it’s not my opinion that will be the resolution. It will be the opinion of the club and the opinion of Mason, so that’s between them.
“I think my opinion’s pretty clear, I don’t need to spell it out what I think of Mason as a player. There’s no doubt Mason is a top-class player through what he brings to the team in and out of possession.
“We could have done with him in the games we’ve played already this season. But the bigger picture is something that’s going to become clearer in the next weeks and months, and that will be the club and Mason together having conversations.”
Mount is out for four weeks and likely the rest of the season with a pubic bone injury. He will need minor surgery on an ongoing issue that could mean he has played his last game for Chelsea if he doesn’t renew his deal.
Reece James has also been ruled out for the season by Lampard, while Kai Havertz will miss Brentford’s visit to Stamford Bridge through a minor knee problem.
After seeing James ruled out, Lampard tried to dampen fears that he might have chronic issues that need sorting: "I don’t think it is a [longer-term] problem.
"I just think with this season, you see periods, and it might be because you really understand what Reece gives this team both defensively and offensively, that your eyes are drawn when he is not there.
"We want to get him as fit as he can be because he is a top player."
It's a particular blow for Lampard who has lost all four of his four games since re-joining the club.
He believes he is without one of the world's best full-backs, adding: “At the moment, I see him as one of the best full-backs around for sure - and I am talking about world football - and that is at such a young age. There is a big ceiling there for him.”
