21 January 2023 , 00:50
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Chelsea are reportedly making renewed efforts to tie Mason Mount down to a longer-term deal amid interest from Premier League rivals Liverpool.
Mount, 24, has grown into an important first-team player after coming through the Blues' academy. However, with just 18 months remaining on his current deal, Jurgen Klopp's side are said to be ready to take advantage of any potential uncertainty after monitoring the situation for some time.
Liverpool are expected to push ahead with a rebuild in midfield as they prepare to lose Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita when the pair's contracts expire at the end of the current campaign. Mount's England team-mate Jude Bellingham is another target, but the Reds' interest in the Chelsea man appears to have forced the London side into action.
According to The Guardian, Mount wants Chelsea to show they value him with their next offer. Despite featuring regularly for England at Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup, his £75,000 per week wages put him towards the bottom of the club's earners.
Chelsea are said to be prepared to make a "generous" offer in a bid to keep Mount - who has been on Chelsea's books since the age of six - in west London. However, Liverpool are monitoring the situation and are prepared to pounce if the Blues fail to make progress with their talks.
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The interest also comes at a time when both Liverpool and Chelsea could be about to battle it out for another midfield target, Brighton's Moises Caicedo. The Seagulls want north of £70m for the Ecuador international, with manager Roberto De Zerbi telling the media he hopes the club can keep hold of the player for the remainder of the season.
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Liverpool have been linked with a move for Mount if he opts to leave Chelsea (Getty Images)Reports of Liverpool interest in Mount comes as the Reds prepare to host the midfielder and his Chelsea team-mates in the Premier League. Liverpool sit down in ninth after last week's defeat at Brighton, while their opponents are one place lower despite having played a game more.
Chelsea could hand a debut to new signing Mykhaylo Mudryk, after the Ukraine star was announced as a Blues player during the derby victory over Crystal Palace last time out. Graham Potter's side have also added Noni Madueke to their ranks, with the England under-21 international joining from PSV Eindhoven on Friday night.
"He's a good player, a really good player," Klopp said of Mudryk. "He played an incredible Champions League campaign at his former club [Shakhtar Donetsk], speed, technique, goals, combines a lot.
"So, having him on one wing and [suspended new signing Joao] Felix on the other is interesting. Chelsea sorts problems differently to us, so let's see."