Frank Lampard has claimed that he will soon sit down with reported Liverpool target Mason Mount to discuss his future.
Lampard is back at Stamford Bridge having taking the job on an interim basis until the end of the season. The news may potentially be greeted with dismay by Liverpool fans, who have been hoping to sign Mount this summer.
The 24-year-old is currently looking set to leave Chelsea at the end of the season having failed to agree a new deal. But with he and Lampard notoriously close, the Blues’ legend being appointed may now put a spanner in the works.
And asked about Mount’s situation upon being confirmed to be back at Chelsea, Lampard confirmed that he’ll try to clarify what’s going on as soon as he can.
“I don’t know enough about it [his situation] to talk. Mason has always been a fantastic player for me. From my days at Derby to coming back to Chelsea. I also know Mason has had a few slight injury problems. I will speak to him and find out where he is at,” Lampard said via journalist Ben Jacobs on Twitter.
Mount set for Lampard reunion
Confidence had appeared to be growing at Liverpool that they could snare Mount from their Premier League rivals this summer.
Seemingly keen for a new challenge and available at a knockdown price, the Reds apparently felt they could get themselves a bargain.
That may still end up happening, Lampard is only an interim manager after all. He isn’t in charge of contract negotiations and won’t be at liberty to change the terms on offer to Mount.
But at the same time, this does have the feeling of changing the landscape slightly. Having overseen his senior breakthrough whilst on-loan at Derby, Lampard was the one who built Mount into a fully-fledged first-team player at Chelsea.
As a Chelsea man himself, it isn’t hard to see Lampard extoling the virtues of staying and penning a new deal at Stamford Bridge. Whether or not Mount listens to him largely depends on how far along he is in looking for a way out. Liverpool have reportedly made quite some headway into convincing him to jump ship and if his head has been turned, there will be little Lampard – or anyone – can do about it.
One thing that is likely to happen though is that the midfielder will get chances to prove himself at Chelsea. Put in some good displays and maybe Todd Boehly et al will be convinced he’s worth the wages. This one is finely balanced, but it’s not great news for Liverpool.