Stan Collymore believes Mason Mount will make a "step up" if he leaves Chelsea for Premier League rivals Liverpool this summer.
The England international, 24, graduated from Chelsea's academy and has made nearly 200 senior appearances for the club, but his contract expires in June 2024. The Blues are yet to agree an extension with Mount, which could allow Liverpool to swoop in.
Chelsea will not want to lose Mount on a free transfer next summer. The Reds are interested in signing the player, who has deleted his Twitter account. Collymore believes Mount may have dropped a huge hint about his future through his social media activity.
Collymore made commented on Mount's situation in his column for CaughtOffside. He wrote: "Are we really reading too much into Mason Mount deleting his Twitter? Possibly."
"I know that Liverpool have been sniffing around Mason and if you’re putting two and two together and making 22 rather than four, the suggestion could be that he’s going to sign for Liverpool, the deal is already done, and as and when he signs for Liverpool and it becomes fact on social media, Chelsea fans will have a pop at him.
"It’s his club and he’s been there a long, long, time. There were rumours that Todd Boehly wanted to give him a new contract but I think that going to Liverpool would be a step up.
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"I think if Chelsea were above them in the table it would still be a step up because going to a club like Liverpool, Man United, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Juventus and AC Milan – they’re once in a lifetime clubs. That’s no disrespect to what Chelsea have achieved."
Mount, who was born in Portsmouth, has been a Chelsea player for 18 years. He graduated from the club's academy in 2017 after winning the FA Youth Cup twice and broke into the first team two years later after loan spells with Vitesse and Derby.
Mount is a two-time Chelsea Player of the Year and has won the Champions League, European Super Cup and Club World Cup at Stamford Bridge. The 36-cap international is also a three-time FA Cup runner-up and Carabao Cup runner-up.
Chelsea could let Mount leave Stamford Bridge after investing nearly £600million on fresh talent since Todd Boehly's consortium completed a takeover of the club last summer, making them the biggest spenders in Europe. That will have an implication on Financial Fair Play (FFP), which could force the Blues to sell some players in the upcoming window.
Mount could be one of those players due to his contract situation. Liverpool are willing to take him off Chelsea's hands, as they need to complete a rebuild. The Reds have struggled to compete on all fronts this season - sitting eighth in the Premier League.
Liverpool are also believed to be interested in Mount's Chelsea team-mate Conor Gallagher, who impressed during a loan spell with Crystal Palace last season.
