Mason Mount will see his contract at Chelsea expire in just 18 months, with talks over a new deal stalling and Blues boss Graham Potter struggling to get the best out of the midfielder
Chelsea have been fired a warning over Mason Mount
Paul Merson has discounted Graham Potter’s chances of being able to turn things around at Chelsea, in a verdict that spells major trouble for their hopes of keeping Mason Mount.
The midfielder is out of contract at the end of next season, with talks over a new deal stalling. Tying Mount down to a long-term deal had been one of Todd Boehly’s priorities when he bought the Blues, but little progress has been made.
Even worse for Chelsea, they are in the midst of a serious rut under Potter, winning just two of their last 15 games in all competitions. Mount is also struggling for form, failing to score or claim an assist in his last nine games.
The latest low point for both Mount and the Blues came on Saturday when they fell to a dismal defeat to basement boys Southampton. And Merson’s analysis of that loss, and Mount’s part in it, will certainly worry Chelsea chiefs.
“I don’t see this stopping, I don’t. They’re bought a lorry load of individuals, I’m afraid. They’ve not bought anybody for the team, it’s all dribblers. Forget Enzo Fernandez, he’s a top player, he’s a holding midfield player but the others,” he told Sky Sports.
“Mount played today and he got eaten up. People were dribbling, there were no phases of the game, it’s only when [Kai] Havertz came on and he started playing with [Joao] Felix and [Raheem] Sterling that there were passages of play.
Paul Merson has slammed Graham Potter’s management of Mount
“But I don’t see this stopping. I think this is a massive, massive, massive interview now coming up for Graham Potter. Chelsea fans will be fuming, they won’t want to come for this, ‘oh Southampton have got a new manager so that helped them’.
“If you don’t beat Southampton at home, their goalkeeper should be the best player on the pitch and he wasn’t the best player on the pitch.”
That scary verdict comes with Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City all monitoring Mount’s situation. According to ESPN, the trio of Premier League giants are watching Mount’s talks with the Blues with a keen interest.
