Juventus are reportedly plotting a sensational swoop for Mason Mount as his Chelsea contract continues to tick down.
Mount has been locked in talks with the Blues over a new deal for some time, but no agreement has yet been reached. His situation has drawn the attention of several suitors, with the 23-year-old widely regarded as one of the Premier League 's brightest young stars.
Chelsea appear to be at real risk of losing the England international as their negotiations with his representatives continue to stall. One of the parties interested in Mount are Juve, who have endured a disappointing 18 months since Massimiliano Allegri's return as manager.
The Turin club are third in the Serie A table, already 10 points adrift of leaders Napoli. That follows a campaign in which they only just squeezed into the top four, leaving Allegri keen to overhaul his squad.
According to Calciomercato, Mount is 'in his sights' as he looks to aim for a 'big shot' in next summer's transfer window. The Bianconeri are said to be planning 'an assault' for Mount at the end of the season.
Before they attempt to complete that sensational swoop, though, Juve will need to raise funds. The report names three players who are heading for the exit door in Turin as Juve look to build their war chest.
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The first of those is Leandro Paredes, who endured a challenging first-half of the season. The midfielder is on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, but it is stated that he will not be 'redeemed' by the Serie A giants through the option to buy they have in his contract.
Weston McKennie also appears to be set for pastures new, with the United States international set to be 'sold to raise cash'. Juve had slapped a £25million price tag on McKennie, with Tottenham one of the clubs interested in him.
The final man on his way out is Adrien Rabiot, who recently made his desire to play in the Premier League clear. His contract expires in the summer and there is doubt over whether he will be offered a new deal as Juve raise funds to pursue Mount.
Mount's deal expires in the summer of 2024, but if no new contract is agreed by next summer, Chelsea could be forced to sell. Blues boss Graham Potter will not want that happen, having sung the England star's praises just two months ago.
"You can see the quality he has and if you give him a second, you give him too much space, he can hurt you with his qualities. His executions are fantastic. It’s hard to continually assist and score in the Premier League at any age," Potter said of Mount in October.
"As a young player, he is going to get even better and I am really excited for him for his future. When you start to work with him, you see he has everything he needs to be a top, top player.
"A great attitude, he understands spaces, he can execute, he assists, he scores goals, he is top. Mason’s a young player, he'll learn, and arguably you need to suffer a little bit to get yourself to the top because you need to learn about yourself."
