Chelsea dealt massive blow as contract talks with superstar hits snag over £240k-per-week wage demands - Reports
Chelsea have reportedly hit a roadblock in their talks with midfielder Mason Mount over a potential contract extension.
The Englishman's contract with the Blues expires in the summer of 2024. As per the Daily Mail, the club want to offer him a new contract but both parties remain far off in wage negotiations.
Mount currently earns £80,000 per week and wants to triple it to £240,000 per week in his new contract. However, Chelsea are unwilling to offer that amount so far and their offer is much lesser than the asking price.
The Blues have spent over £600 million in the previous two transfer windows, bringing in 17 new players at Stamford Bridge. They are looking to extend the contracts of Mount and Conor Gallagher on priority. However, negotiations with the former have seemingly stalled.
Mount, 24, came through Chelsea's ranks and has become a key player for the club since his senior debut in 2019. He also won the club's Player of the Year award for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.
Rise of Mason Mount. https://t.co/kAJKPP4toi
The England international has scored 33 goals and provided 37 assists in 188 senior games for the Blues. However, he has had an underwhelming 2022-23 season, registering three goals and six assists in 28 appearances across competitions.
As per The Sun, Liverpool are among the multiple clubs monitoring Mount's situation at Stamford Bridge.
Jamie Carragher on Graham Potter's situation at Chelsea
As mentioned previously, Chelsea have spent massive amounts of money over the last two transfer windows. Sky Sports pundit and former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes this level of expenditure has put manager Graham Potter under pressure.
After the Blues' goalless draw against Fulham on February 3, he told Sky Sports:
"I think the reason you bring in Graham Potter is because he builds a club that's his history in management and that's why they've brought him in. But it feels like what they've done in the transfer market is the opposite of that."
He added:
"There's no right or wrong way of doing things, we've seen Chelsea in the past under [Roman] Abramovich bringing lots of players in, changing managers all the time, but I don't think that bodes well for Potter in the future in terms of the amount of money they've sent and players they've brought in. Because that's pressure."
A point apiece at the Bridge.
#CheFul https://t.co/0Xve73SyYq
Speaking about what Potter must achieve with the Blues this season, Carragher said:
"I wouldn't say he has to get into the top four because there's such a big gap right now, but he's going to have to get really close. I'm not saying he'll lose his job if he doesn't but there has to be an improvement."
The west London side are ninth in the Premier League table, 10 points behind fourth-placed Newcastle United.