Liverpool-linked Mason Mount rejected a £200,000-per-week contract extension before jetting off to the World Cup, according to the Daily Mail .
Mount flew out with the rest of the 26-man England squad last week and has started both of their Group B matches against Iran and the USA. His time in Qatar has been somewhat overshadowed by talk of contract problems at his club, with the Guardian reporting last Thursday that the Reds and Juventus were monitoring the situation amid a stalling of negotiations.
The 23-year-old's current contract runs out in the summer of 2024 and a reluctance to sign a new deal with the Blues had set Liverpool on high alert as they explored the possibility of luring the midfielder away from his boyhood club, although no approaches had been made by either them or Juventus.
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And now the Daily Mail reports that, prior to leaving for Qatar, the Chelsea academy graduate turned down a fresh and lucrative offer.
The last two seasons has seen Mount become one of the most important players at the club and he wants his salary to reflect that. Chelsea's £200,000 a week offer falls some way short of their top-earners, with Raheem Sterling thought to have signed a five-year contract worth £300,000-per-week over the summer.
Mount is currently one of the lowest-paid players in the squad, having signed a long-term deal after returning from a loan spell at Derby county worth around £85,000 a week. And with the two parties still so far apart in negotiations, a quick and swift end to the saga is not expected.
Graham Potter’s side are set to reopen talks once Mount returns from Qatar and remain confident they can fend off any interested parties, but the Reds will no doubt be keeping tabs on the situation.
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