Quotes from Chelsea’s Mason Mount have resurfaced amid links to Manchester United.
Last week, ESPN reported that United could rival Liverpool in the race for Mount, whose contract negotiations with the Blues have stalled.
According to The Athletic, the Chelsea hierarchy would rather oversee the departure of the England international this summer if he does not renew his deal, as he would only have one year left at the club and therefore could leave as a free agent in 2024.
Mount is a Cobham Academy graduate and has been at the club since he was six years old, however, their recent form and downward trajectory have likely sparked uncertainty over his future in London, despite having such a deep history as a Blue.
If Champions League qualification is anything to go by in Mount’s mind, the Red Devils have a stronger grip on the top four by a significant gap; Jurgen Klopp’s side sit eighth-placed on 35 points, whilst United are third on 49 points.
Mount reflects on falling in love at Old Trafford
Supporters have highlighted a post-match interview with the 24-year-old last April on Amazon Prime (via MEN). It came after Chelsea faced United at Old Trafford, with Mount reflecting on childhood hero Cristiano Ronaldo who, in the game he is detailing, was playing for the Reds against Portsmouth.
“I think everyone has seen the video of when I was younger basing my free-kick off him. I always watched him very closely when he was at United as a young kid. I loved the way he played, his free-kicks.
“I’m a massive Pompey fan, so I went to the game when they played at Old Trafford and he scored that free-kick against David James. I was actually at the game, in the corner, so I saw it first-hand and I think after that I kind of fell in love with the technique and what he’d done, and him as a player.
“So I always try to look at and work out, what can I do, to put it into my game? But now to play against him and be up against him is the journey that you go on from watching someone in the stands as a fan and then to being on the same pitch and playing against them. It’s a crazy journey and yeah, that’s why I love football so much.”
