Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount is more likely to leave Stamford Bridge than stay this summer despite the club’s plan to restart contract talks, according to FootballTransfers.
The 23-year-old still played the third-most minutes in the Premier League among Chelsea players this season, so the club are unlikely to be eager to sell him this summer.
His current deal, however, expires in the summer of 2024, and recent reports suggest that Chelsea would not want to let their players enter the final year of their contract and risk losing them on free transfers.
As previously reported by Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea will restart talks with Mount over an extension. If an agreement is not met, then Chelsea will reportedly look to sell.
According to FootballTransfers, however, Mount, who has been made a priority target by Liverpool, is unlikely to stay.
The report adds that if he was to leave, Mount would prefer a move to Anfield.
From Chelsea’s perspective, losing an academy graduate, who is incredibly popular among the supporters, is hardly ideal.
It is worth mentioning that if Chelsea were to lose the likes of Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Conor Gallagher alongside Mount, the club may face a problem in meeting the eight homegrown, including four club-trained, player quota in UEFA competitions.
But why has not Mount signed a new deal, exactly?
According to The Athletic’s Simon Johnson, the biggest issue during the negotiations is the contract length.
Chelsea want Mount to sign a similar long-term deal to their recent signings — so a six- to eight-year deal — while Mount does not want to commit to such terms.
This type of deal is relatively rare in football, so it is understandable that some players do not want to be tied to a contract until their 30s, after which they are unlikely to secure another huge contract.
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