Mason Mount ‘rejects’ seven-year Chelsea contract and makes major wage demand
Mason Mount, a star player for Chelsea, is still in contract talks with the club, with his current deal set to expire in 2024.
Mount and Reece James began negotiations with Chelsea earlier this year, with James signing a long-term contract days later that made him the highest-paid defender in the club’s history.
Mount’s current contract has only 18 months remaining, and discussions regarding a renewal have been postponed until after the World Cup.
According to football.london, the length of the new contract has been one of the primary stumbling blocks in Todd Boehly’s negotiations.
Given Mount’s importance to the team, as evidenced by his participation in every Premier League match for the Blues so far this season, and his selection as the club’s player of the year for the past two seasons, fans are justified in their concern.
According to The Athletic, both parties have met multiple times since initial negotiations began in July, but both sides left their most recent meeting believing a significant step towards an agreement had been made.
The report indicates that one of the offers made to Mount was for seven years, but the 23-year-old rejected it. Mount is also seeking a higher base salary commensurate with his importance to the club, as Chelsea has shifted its stance to offer more incentive-based contracts to its star players.
Mount has made it clear that he sees his future at Stamford Bridge, and the England international’s rejection of a long-term contract may not indicate that he is already considering a potential exit from Chelsea in the future; rather, it may be a negotiating tactic to secure a better contract in the coming years.
According to a report from The Athletic, Boehly and co-owner Behdad Eghbali have met with Mount’s representatives in recent weeks, and a breakthrough has been made.
Since the Boehly-Clearlake consortium completed a £4billion takeover at Stamford Bridge earlier this year, Boehly has faced a number of obstacles, but Mount’s contract should not have been one of them.
The 23-year-old midfielder has a ways to go before a new contract can be negotiated with his club. Discussions will resume once he returns from World Cup duty with England, but there is still work to be done before a new deal can be reached.
Mason Mount ‘rejects’ seven-year Chelsea contract and makes major wage demand
