Serie A giants Juventus have reportedly set their sights on underappreciated Chelsea and England starlet Mason Mount as talks of a new contract have stalled.
According to a report from Calciomercatoweb, despite the turmoil at the board level, Juventus are plotting an audacious move for Chelsea star Mason Mount and are prepared to let go of three players in order to fund a transfer swoop next summer.
Mount has not had the best of seasons so far for Chelsea and has struggled to get going even under new manager Graham Potter, with just two goals and two assists from 13 Premier League matches, but he remains a key player at both domestic and international level.
With five goals in 36 caps for his country and 69 direct goal contributions from 182 outings for the Blues, Mount has proven a consistent attacking threat from midfield or as a makeshift attacker but hasn’t been able to hit top form this campaign.
The 23-year-old’s mixed form has coincided with Chelsea’s dismal season, with Potter collecting just 11 points from a possible 24 since replacing Thomas Tuchel in September.
Mount will very certainly be among the group of young, promising players at England’s disposal who will compete for the 2024 European Championships in 18 months’ time and the World Cup again in 2026 with renewed belief to go the whole hog this time around.
However, his future at Chelsea remains up in the air. His current contract expires in 2024, and his representative has been locked in discussions with the Blues over a new deal for a while now, but no agreement has yet been reached.
The Mail recently reported that he has turned down a bumper new deal worth £200,000 per week as he hopes to be paid on par with the club’s top earners after his stellar rise through the academy ranks to Chelsea mainstay under several head coaches in recent years.
Several suitors, including Juventus and Liverpool, have expressed interest in his contract rebel situation, as the 23-year-old is considered one of the Premier League’s hottest young prospects, with the Blues running a real risk of losing the England international amid reports of talks stalling between the two parties.
Italian giants Juventus, for one, are keeping close tabs on Mount’s situation and have earmarked him as their transfer target for next summer as they look to improve their midfield options at the end of the season.
The Bianconeri could be preparing for a squad clearout when the next transfer window opens as boss Massimiliano Allegri rebuilds the squad in the way he wants. And, he will have to let go of some players, make space, and generate funds to acquire top targets.
As per the above piece, the Turin giants hope that not extending wantaway Adrien Rabiot’s current contract, not converting PSG loanee Leandro Paredes into a permanent one, and fetching a significant sum for USMNT star Weston McKennie will put them in a position to pursue Mount seriously next summer, as it would take a big fee to sign him even when he has just a year left on his deal.
Furthermore, a player of his calibre will have plenty of admirers if he were to leave Stamford Bridge next summer. It will be interesting to see how this story develops over the next few months.
