Journalist Simon Philips has told GiveMeSport that Mason Mount still wants to be a Chelsea player next season.
This is despite widespread reports that he is not close to signing a new deal with the club.
Mount’s current contract is set to expire in just over a year’s time, and new owner Todd Boehly is keen for players to not enter the last year or their deals due to the risk of losing them for free.
This means there is likely to be a conclusion one way or another to the saga surrounding the England international this summer.
The 24-year-old is not short of potential suitors if he was to leave Stamford Bridge. Liverpool have been strongly linked with a deal if he moves on.
Phillips has now claimed that Mount’s intention is to stay with the Blues, however there is still a large gap in terms wanted by both parties.
Mount wants to stay at Chelsea
He said: “Both Chelsea and Mason Mount are keen to find a solution. Mount is keen to stay at Chelsea and Chelsea want him to stay there but, right now, they’re far apart in collective terms.
“Mount is not asking for £300,000-a-week, which is what has been reported. But the stumbling block is largely around incentives in the deal and, more importantly, the contract length. That’s the sticking point and where they’re very far apart.”
Even though Mount has not featured in any of the club’s three game winning run, he would still be an extraordinary loss for the club.
It is no coincidence that he has been an important member of the first team to every manager that has been at Stamford Bridge since his promotion from the youth team.
Selling him at this stage would be simply helping a rival get a lot stronger.