Selling 'homeless' Mount to Liverpool could be a Chelsea masterstroke

Sam McGuire

• 27 Jan 2023 15:16 GMT
• 12 min read

Chelsea have a big decision to make in the summer. In truth, they have a fair few, but top of the list will likely be what to do with Mason Mount.

At the end of the current campaign, the 24-year-old will have just 12 months remaining on his deal at Stamford Bridge. There have been talks between the club and the player but an agreement is yet to be reached, with Chelsea reportedly failing to meet his wage demands.

Money might not be the only factor at play. Mount is, in a way, homeless in this Chelsea team.

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He has played and continues to play multiple positions for the Blues. His versatility means he hasn’t been able to make a role his own. Even under new manager Graham Potter, the England international has played a variety of different positions for the good of the team and to the detriment of the player himself.

In many ways, the No.19 is in limbo. He hasn’t been able to carve out a set spot for himself in attack and that door now appears to be closed following the recent arrivals of Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke, David Datro Fofana, Joao Felix and the summer signing of Raheem Sterling. Christopher Nkunku is to come, too.

The Blues are also looking to bolster their midfield options. They signed Carney Chukwuemeka during the last transfer window and are looking to add at least one more this month, with Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez and Declan Rice all linked.

Premier League 2022/23 January transfers: All the Done Deals

If Todd Boehly continues his Football Manager-esque spending spree, who knows who the Blues will end up with, but you wouldn’t bet against them adding at least one of those names to their ranks. With every signing, Mount’s place in the team becomes a little less secure.

Why would the club pay him superstar wages when he might not even be a guaranteed starter and why would Mount put pen to paper when his future within the squad is so uncertain?

All of this - everything that is going on at Stamford Bridge and has been since the summer - hasn’t helped Mount either. He has just three goals and two assists in the Premier League this season and has just one goal in his last 10 outings.

His form is a concern. Often used in the wide areas, he has struggled, as the below graphic illustrates.

Mount v Premier League wingers: 2022/23

He struggled to make an impact at the World Cup for England too and eventually lost his place in Gareth Southgate’s starting XI to Jordan Henderson. Mount is not negotiating from a position of power right now and his performances mean he doesn’t have the fans on his side. Many online are vocal with their criticism of the versatile midfielder and the attraction of new signings has seen him overlooked, disregarded and, well, written off.

If the fans and the manager are batting for you, it makes life easier. Look at what happened when Jordan Henderson wanted a new deal at Liverpool. He had Jurgen Klopp saying he’d sort it in press conferences while many took to social media to tweet their support for the skipper. That isn’t happening for Mount right now and it weakens his hand.

Could Mount leave Chelsea?

Chelsea likely want to retain his services but they are going to do it on their terms. If he doesn’t agree, a sale could be on the cards this summer. As Jacque Talbot revealed last week, Liverpool are keen on Mount. Selling to a rival is not ideal but it could prove to be a masterstroke. The Blues could command a fee of £50 million for the 24-year-old and that would go some way to balancing the books at Stamford Bridge. The Reds won’t be the only team to have an interest in Mount if he is, indeed, available.

Another thing to consider, from a Chelsea perspective, is that their No19 has played a lot of football for his age. He may have only just turned 24 but he’s played 13,000 minutes for Chelsea and England over the past three-and-a-half seasons. On one hand, that is a positive. But at some point, it is going to catch up with him and you don’t want that to happen after giving him a new, improved deal. The smart move would be to let that happen elsewhere.

The Blues won’t want to lose Mount but this ruthless approach to incomings will soon have to transfer to outgoings if they are going to balance the books. The Cobham graduate could be a victim of lavish spending.