Chelsea remain in talks with midfielder Mason Mount over a new contract, 90min understands, with the Blues confident an agreement will be reached.
Mount's future was identified as a pressing concern following Todd Boehly's arrival at the club, with the American co-owner keen to hand a bumper new deal to both the 23-year-old and right-back Reece James, who are viewed as potential cornerstones of the club's future.
James has since penned a lucrative six-year contract and so the focus is now on Mount, with whom talks are progressing well.
Sources have confirmed to 90min that Chelsea are not worried that negotiations with the midfielder have taken longer than those with James, and club officials are still aiming to have Mount's new deal finalised by the end of the calendar year.
After the weekend's 3-0 win over Wolves, in which Mount created the first two goals, manager Graham Potter made it abundantly clear that the midfielder is central to his plans.
"I do not doubt Mason Mount at all," the boss said. "It’s just like anything, sometimes the team doesn’t function as well and so the individuals don’t function as well...any young player knows football is a bit up and down, you have moments when it doesn’t go your way and it’s about what you can learn from that.
"He’s got that character, that personality, to continue to develop. He’s a delight to work with.
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"I never like to put ceilings on players. I try to help them enjoy their football, I think if the team is playing well it helps individuals in the team, and that’s the job, that’s what we have to do."
Chelsea officials are also in talks over the futures of both N'Golo Kante and Jorginho, whose deals expire in 2023, while there are a whole host of players who find themselves out of contract in 2024.
Once Mount's future has been sorted, Chelsea will hold talks over Mateo Kovacic, Christian Pulisic and Edouard Mendy, having given Potter enough time to form his own opinions on the group.
Source : 90min