Report: Chelsea increasingly expects Mount departure

Chelsea is expected to look very different next season with the team out of European competition and Mauricio Pochettino at the helm, but a key player does not appear to be part of the project.

The Guardian's Jacob Steinberg reports the Blues are increasingly expecting Mason Mount's departure in the summer.

A Chelsea academy product, the 24-year-old Mount is heading into the final year of his contract and has thus far been unwilling to sign an extension. Should he become available, Liverpool is the favourite for his signature, but Manchester United and Arsenal could also show interest.

A native of Portsmouth, Mount joined the Chelsea academy in 2005. Mount has made 129 Premier League appearances over four senior seasons with the Blues and was a member of the team's Champions League-winning squad in 2021.

Internationally, Mount has been capped 36 times by England.

In addition to the Mount situation, Steinberg notes that the team is greatly interested in Napoli's Victor Osimhen. The 24-year-old Nigeria striker was a key reason behind Napoli's ending of a 33-year Scudetto drought this season and leads the race for the Paolo Rossi Award with 23 goals. The lack of European football could make Chelsea a hard sell for the player.

The team is also expected to show interest in a number of players across various positions, including Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez, Brentford forward Ivan Toney and Brighton midfielder Alexis Mac Allister. Belgium forward Romelu Lukaku is also expected to return to Stamford Bridge from a two-year loan at Inter.