Former Arsenal hero and Chelsea fan Paul Merson has showered Blues midfielder, Mason Mount, with immense praise, claiming that the England international was the club's second-best player last season behind Antonio Rudiger.
Since being handed the opportunity to break into the first eleven under Frank Lampard three years ago, Mount has established himself as a regular first-team starter and has continued to maintain strong levels of consistency no matter what position he has been tasked to play.
Last season, the 23-year-old managed to achieve his most productive Premier League campaign to date, registering eleven goals and ten assists in thirty-two appearances.
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The performances delivered by Mount has impressed Merson massively, who claims to be a 'big fan' of the player, just like the majority of the Chelsea fanbase. In his latest column, Merson wrote: "I'm a big fan of Mason Mount – he was consistently good for Chelsea throughout the season."
He then discussed how difficult it could be to find a replacement for Rudiger, who has recently signed a four-year deal for Spanish giants Real Madrid.
The German international's status as a free transfer at the end of the season was quickly exploited by Los Blancos, and Merson believes that he will be a huge loss for Thomas Tuchel's men.
"Antonio Rudiger's been absolutely outstanding for Chelsea. I can't remember him having a bad game, if I'm being honest. He's been consistently brilliant in the Premier League this season.
"Rudiger's going to be a massive miss for Thomas Tuchel next season. He's going to be a hard one to replace, and I'm not sure if the likes of Kalidou Koulibaly and Jules Kounde can fill his boots.
"If there is a worry for Chelsea this year, it's finding Rudiger's replacement."
