Journalist David Ornstein has told ‘The Athletic Football Podcast’ that Chelsea are hesitant to offer Mason Mount a contract that exceeds Reece James’.
The 24-year-old has seen talks over signing a new deal at Stamford Bridge stall in recent weeks.
Reports yesterday stated that the club were not going to discuss a new deal with Mount until the end of the season.
However, there has been further speculation that the two parties may not come to an agreement when the campaign comes to an end.
It is difficult to imagine there will not be much interest in Mount if he is put on the market in the summer. He will also almost certainly be strengthening a side that is a direct rival too.
Ornstein has claimed that the recent renewal of James’ contract is seeing the club hesitant to meet Mount’s demands at this stage.
He said: “Contract offers have been rejected. Talks are not ongoing. They will resume in the summer, and Chelsea will either renew him to a new contract or they’ll sell him. There’s been quite widely reported interest from the likes of Liverpool, I’m sure there would be a market for Mason Mount.
“Another thing in this is where they place him in the salaries. Reece James renewed in September, they’ve come through in a sort of a similar pattern from the youth ranks. I don’t think Chelsea would feel it would be fair to take Mason Mount beyond where Reece James is.”
The downturn in form suffered by Mount has left some fans open to the idea of the star leaving his boyhood club.
There will be hopes that the England man will be able to turn things around for the rest of this season, and get back to the important place he held in the last few seasons.
Receive a digest of our best Chelsea content each week direct to your mailbox
