Chelsea find a “better” player than Mason Mount, as two clubs pursue England’s World Cup ace

Chelsea find a “better” player than Mason Mount, as two clubs pursue England’s World Cup ace

Emmanuel Petit, a former Chelsea midfielder, has informed the club that a player superior to Mason Mount might soon join the club. 

Mount’s contract is expiring, and Liverpool and Juventus are rumored to be interested in signing him despite the impending arrival of Christopher Nkunku.

Mount, now in his fourth season as a Chelsea starter, has been a constant in the Blues’ starting lineup since his breakthrough in 2019/20.

With Thomas Tuchel being replaced by Graham Potter at Stamford Bridge, it appears unlikely that the 11 Premier League goals scored by the Blues last season will be replicated this season.

Mount’s future in west London is uncertain as he enters the final 18 months of his contract. The present impasse has reportedly caused Juventus and Liverpool to express interest in signing the 23-year-old despite ongoing contract negotiations.

Todd Boehly, the owner of Chelsea, would be wise to devise a contingency plan in case Liverpool or Juventus are successful in their transfer pursuit.

According to various sources, the plan is already in motion, with RB Leipzig striker Nkunku close to completing a deal to Stamford Bridge. The Frenchman’s proposed £52 million move would take effect next summer, if no unexpected snags arise between now and then.

Petit, an Arsenal star and former Chelsea midfielder who won the World Cup with France in 1998, believes the Blues may even get an improvement if they must let Mount go before welcoming Nkunku. When 90min asked who was the better player, he said, “Christopher Nkunku!”

“He was voted player of the year in the Bundesliga. The boy, without making a sound, is crushing everyone.”

Chelsea fans may have had an exciting opportunity to see Nkunku in action in the Qatar World Cup, but a heartbreaking training injury has kept him out for the duration of the tournament.

The 25-year-old scored 35 goals in all competitions last season, more than twice as much as Mount has ever achieved, and the Leipzig talisman has continued his superb form this season with 17 goals in 23 appearances. While Nkunku could be on his way next summer, Potter hasn’t fully ruled out other January signings.

“I think there is more to come from the team we have and the group we have,” he said. “We’ve had some key players out: [N’Golo] Kante, [Ben] Chilwell, [Reece] James, [Wesley] Fofana. They are key players and a couple of them are replacing key ones who left in the summer.

“[Myself and Boehly] have a regular dialogue anyway. Sometimes you need to reflect, think and analyse. Absolutely, we need to think about what’s happened and what we can do to improve.”

Chelsea find a “better” player than Mason Mount, as two clubs pursue England’s World Cup ace