Chelsea will fight tooth and nail to keep star midfielder Mason Mount this summer, with Reece James also expected to be sought in the transfer window. Mount has already established himself as one of Europe’s top young midfielders, having scored 12 goals in all competitions for both club and country this season.
However, the 23-year-old’s contract at Stamford Bridge expires in two years, and despite the club’s current ownership difficulties, there is concern that he could be seduced away by Europe’s elite.
According to Futballnews, three of the Premier League’s major clubs are reportedly planning efforts to capture the England international. The study does not name the English clubs, but it claims that other clubs from around the world are involved.
The article does not name the English clubs, but it claims that other clubs from Europe’s best leagues are also interested, suggesting that Chelsea may have the battle to keep their star player this summer. Mount is now one of the Blues’ lowest-paid players, earning roughly £70,000 per week, but the club is unable to offer him a new contract due to restrictions imposed on owner Roman Abramovich.
Even if Chelsea’s new owners are willing to offer him a large pay hike to entice him to sign a new contract, there is no guarantee he will sign one, and elite teams are apparently ready to pounce.
Mount’s contract issue puts the Blues in a perilous position, as the player’s negotiating strength grows as his contract nears its end.
Mount, on the other hand, has been a Chelsea fan since he was six years old, rising through the ranks of the club’s academy to become a regular first-team player. Meanwhile, big European clubs are reportedly interested in Blues’ right-back Reece James.
Last summer, the 23-year-old was on Manchester City’s wanted list, with Real Madrid also showing interest. His contract situation, on the other hand, is not as dire as Mount’s, since the fullback’s agreement isn’t slated to expire for another three years.
Despite being a youngster, James has already demonstrated that he is a great right wing-back as well as a versatile center-back and midfielder this season.
Since making his senior debut in September 2019, he has established himself as one of Europe’s top young players in the last two and a half years. The England defender, who has six goals and seven assists in 33 appearances this season, is now one of Thomas Tuchel’s first choices.
He last signed a contract extension in 2020, but his stated weekly income of roughly £60,000 makes him, like Mount, one of the club’s lowest earners. Blues executives risk James being influenced by attention from the Bernabeu and the Etihad if they fail to hold him down to longer and more lucrative terms.
