Mason Mount knows exactly what Raheem Sterling is going to bring to the Chelsea side following his £47.5million move from Manchester City. He's seen it time and time again over the past three years while away on international duty with England.
"Having been up close and personal with him, you can see the levels he sets for himself," explains Mount at Chelsea's team hotel in Los Angeles. "He is very driven, he wants to achieve a lot. That’s him on the pitch but as a group, he pushes a lot of people along with him, with his mentality.
"When you have a player coming in Raheem, it is only going to make you better as a team. Obviously, I know him quite well. I think he is a top, top guy and is going to bring a lot to this group. He is a top character, with a top personality. That’s the type of player he is."
READ MORE: Raheem Sterling contract details and transfer fee revealed as Chelsea secure dream signing
Sterling arrives with a title-winning pedigree that few in the Chelsea squad can match. He claimed the Premier League on four occasions during his time at Man City, the most recent of which came last term as Pep Guardiola's side finished 19 points ahead of the Blues.
Helping to close that gap is the challenge Sterling faces at Stamford Bridge. There will be an expectation placed upon the 27-year-old to drag the team to victory in difficult games, to lead Chelsea to victory in matches that in seasons prior they would have drawn or lost.
"We are a team that wants to win and we have that winning mentality," says Mount. "To bring a player like Raheem in, who has been a winner over the last years, is certainly going to make us stronger.
"He is someone you can speak to and learn from that experience he’s had since he was 16/17 years old and he started playing in the Premier League. You don’t have many players who have experienced playing in the Premier League from such a young age and played the whole way through.
"For him, his focus is to just get playing, to be playing regularly. It’s down to him. We are going to do everything we can to push him and get that level out of him that you know you can. He can be so dangerous. I’ve witnessed and seen it playing on the pitch with him. He is very exciting to play with because there is that connection: you know what he wants and if you can give that to him, he is going to tear teams apart."
Sterling's arrival increases the number of English players with key roles in the Chelsea side. There is also Reece James, Trevoh Chalobah, Ben Chilwell, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Callum Hudson-Odoi, and Mount. Another name may be added to that list in the weeks ahead with Conor Gallagher undertaking pre-season with the Blues.
The 22-year-old enjoyed an impressive 2021/22 campaign on loan at Crystal Palace last term, but that came as no great surprise to Mount who played alongside Gallagher during their time in the Chelsea academy system at Cobham.
"I’ve known Con for a long time," Mount says with a smile. "He was a year below me but we’ve played in many tournaments. I know Con very well and what he did last season to go and play in the Premier League, to prove what he can do, it’s obviously brilliant.
“He brings that fire that you saw in every game for Palace. He wants to put tackles about and look to get into the box and score. He has looked very well so far and we hope that continues.”
READ MORE
Mason Mount reveals Todd Boehly contract hope and opens up on painful FA Cup final heartbreak
Jorginho reveals stance on his Chelsea future as uncertainty remains over key squad members
How Chelsea Raheem Sterling kept Thierry Henry promise to satisfy Pep Guardiola
Raheem Sterling will 'instil fear' into Premier League rivals as Chelsea make transfer statement
Raheem Sterling has already told Thomas Tuchel where he is at his 'best'
