James to Real Madrid? Mount to Man Utd? – Why Chelsea could lose top stars
Robin Bairner
- 30 Apr 2022 21:07 BST
- 3 min read
Chelsea stars such as Reece James and Mason Mount face an uncertain future at Stamford Bridge as uncertainty over the club’s ownership lingers on.
Although the takeover process has whittled down the potential owners to three – four, including the late addition of Jim Ratcliffe’s bid – it is thought that any deal could still be weeks away.
While this obviously has short-term implications for Chelsea with regards the forthcoming transfer window, what should concern Blues fans more is the long-term effects it could have on the club.
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Indeed, according to The Athletic, there is a very real danger that they lose some of their brightest academy talent imminently as a direct result of the takeover process.
James and Mount are two players directly named to have their futures under threat. Real Madrid want the former, the report states, while “three of the biggest clubs in England, plus others from abroad” are studying the case of the latter.
Why could James and Mount leave Chelsea?
Chelsea find themselves in a period of unprecedented uncertainty, and this puts Mount particularly at risk.
The playmaker has just a couple of years left on his contract and could be lured away from his boyhood club. A summer sale is not expected, but in the long term he will have tremendous power over contract negotiations, while there will be clubs and agents encouraging him to wind his deal down in order to find a bigger wage and a huge signing on fee elsewhere.
The Athletic states that James may have a year longer on his deal, but adds that the quality of clubs chasing him could easily turn his head.
Of course, they cannot give either a new contract at present anyway.
Chelsea need their new owners to hit the ground running in order to ensure the future of both of these players. If there is a period of 18 months or two years in which the club falls away as new processes are put in place, it could spell the end for one or both, as they will simply move somewhere they are likelier to win trophies.
Chelsea need their takeover done quickly – but this shows they also need it done right.
