After a run of three successive Premier League defeats, Chelsea's project under Todd Boehly and new manager Graham Potter is not off to the best of starts and it could yet become worse before it gets better in west London.
For the first time since 2015, the Blues lost a third consecutive league game after they slumped to a 1-0 defeat against Newcastle and away from two Champions League victories, Potter's last win in domestic football came nearly a month ago against Aston Villa.
Many of Chelsea's players, including Jorginho and N'golo Kante, see their contracts expire in the summer and while this is a major concern as it will leave the club extremely light in the middle of the park, another crucial first-team player at Stamford Bridge could leave at the end of his current deal.
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According to The Telegraph, Chelsea have begun looking at Mason Mount alternatives after talks of a new contract reached a stalemate. Mount's current deal is up in 2024, with talks having been occurring since the summer with no significant breakthrough.
Mount does still have 18 months left on his contract, so there is plenty of time for the issues to be resolved, but Chelsea are taking no chances and have already begun to put a contingency plan together if the Englishman does not sign a new contract.
The report goes on to mention the two possible Mount alternatives Chelsea are interested in as AS Roma's Lorenzo Pellegrini and Villareal's Yeremy Pino.
Pellegrini is currently former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho's captain at Roma having been at the club, minus a two-year stint at Sassuolo, since he was a teenager. The 26-year-old has four goals and seven assists in all competitions this season while his current contract is not up until 2026.
Chelsea have also registered interest in Arsenal target Pino, who has scored 15 goals in 96 Villareal appearances despite only being 20. Pino has also been called up to Luis Enrique's World Cup squad after making his international debut at just 18.
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