Thiago Silva has made it clear he wants Mason Mount to remain at Chelsea as a move to Manchester United reportedly edges closer.
The Blues midfielder is yet to agree a new deal at Stamford Bridge despite months of talks and speculation regarding his exit is gathering pace. Mount has several parties interested in his signature but United look to have stolen a march having agreed personal terms with the player.
Silva has been team-mates with Mount for the past three seasons and wants him to remain at the club. He replied to a social media post that showed Mount in a United kit with two crying emojis.
Chelsea and United are yet to agree a transfer fee but there is a growing expectation that Mount will make the switch from blue to red. Erik ten Hag is a fan of the England midfielder and is pushing the club's hierarchy to come up with the necessary sum that will complete the deal, as per the Telegraph.
The United boss sees Mount as one of two key arrivals with a new No 9 being the other. Talks have progressed productively in recent days and Mauricio Pochettino looks set to lose the first high profile name since becoming the new permanent boss at Stamford Bridge.
The squad is in need of trimming, although it was believed that Pochettino and co-owner Todd Boehly were keen to have Mount remain at the club. Several other midfielders could yet leave with Mateo Kovacic in talks with Manchester City regarding a summer exit.
Frank Lampard, who had been in interim charge since Graham Potter's exit, gave Mount his debut at Chelsea and had confessed that his exit was looking increasingly likely whilst his contract winded down.
He said last month: "From working with Mason and other players when I was here before, they've either gone on to be really important players for the club that have a real relation with the fans, back and forth, because they really feel the club when they've been in the academy since eight years of age.
"And some of them have moved on to other clubs and the club have done well out of that. They've gone on and you've wished them well in their careers. I think with Mason particularly, as an individual, I don't know what the solution is going to be because it's a club and Mason issue.
"In the old days, it was, "why are you leaving the club?" In the modern day, players move on. It's a shame we've got into a situation where it looks like it's happening maybe now."
