Mason Mount is the latest Chelsea player to step up and grow into a leader, according to former Premier League midfielder Danny Murphy. The 23-year-old led the Blues to a nail-biting 2-0 win over Aston Villa as two well-taken efforts extended the Graham Potter's five-game unbeaten streak.
The Cobham graduate - who sees his deal at Stamford Bridge expire in 2024 - has now featured six times for the newly-appointed Chelsea boss, directly contributing towards seven goals. Mount's recent up-turn in form has clawed the west Londoners back into the top-four, further proving to Potter that he warrants a place in his plans.
Speaking on Match of the Day, Murphy highlighted the leadership qualities Mount displayed, labelling the England international a 'terrific talent'. The former Liverpool and England midfielder said: "Especially in the first half when Villa were massively on top he stood up and he showed leadership qualities.
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"He got on the ball and he showed moments of quality which were rare for Chelsea. He’s a terrific talent, he can play anywhere.
"He plays all the games, his versatility helps him. Today he played no.10. Early in the game he showed great awareness and yes it’s a mistake by Mings but you’ve still got to have the awareness to anticipate the mistake, which he did.
"The thing when he plays central is he knows how to find space. Whether it’s drifting deeper or sometimes he’ll drift wide to where the space is. He’s just a really intelligent footballer. His first goals of the season, would you believe. It’s no coincidence that every manager that comes in keeps playing him every game."
Mount's performances of late have made talks to extend his contract all the easier. According to The Telegraph, talks between the two parties over a new deal began over the summer.
The report states that there is no agreement as of yet. It's said that alternative attacking midfielders have been considered by Chelsea in the event that Mount does not renew his contract, as the club continue to make wholesale changes on and off the pitch.
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