Mason Mount was taking absolutely no chances on his way out of Stamford Bridge on Tuesday evening.
As the Chelsea midfielder strode past a gaggle of journalists after the forgettable goalless draw against Liverpool, his phone was clamped firmly to his ear to avoid having to interact with any of the waiting hacks.
Mount hadn't even made it off the bench for the Londoners. But it was the ongoing transfer interest from the Reds of which the England international was no doubt acutely mindful as he slipped out of the stadium without uttering a word to the gathered scribes.
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Liverpool are known admirers of the player who, aged 24 and qualifying as a homegrown player, fits the profile required by both Fenway Sports Group and the recruitment team as they look to overhaul Jurgen Klopp's engine room in the summer.
Also in his favour is his availability. Mount failed to feature in only four Chelsea squads in the previous three Premier League seasons, while this term he has not been involved in just four top-flight games, three of which were when recently sidelined through an injury suffered at Tottenham Hotspur at the end of February.
While that absence went some way to explain Mount's lack of action in midweek - he has been an unused substitute in Chelsea's last two Premier League games - there's no doubt that with three goals and six assists in 32 games this season, he has struggled to make the impact of previous years. In the last two campaigns combined, Mount has scored 22 goals and offered 25 assists from an attacking midfield role.
Throw in Chelsea's rampant spending in excess of £500million since the takeover by the Todd Boehly-led consortium less than 12 months ago, and it's not difficult to understand why Mount has been hesitant in agreeing a new deal at Stamford Bridge with his present contract due to expire next summer. He is keeping his options open.
But those concerned about Liverpool potentially pilfering a direct rival for a player who could be viewed as surplus to requirements should remember they have been here before. Back in August 2017, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was in a similar situation at Arsenal before the Reds, having long been tracking the player, made their move shortly before the transfer deadline. Injuries have severely hampered Oxlade-Chamberlain at Anfield, but he will leave at the end of the season with potentially 150 appearances under his belt and a winners' medal in six major competitions.
Indeed, witness the success this season of both Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus having swapped Manchester City for Arsenal and, more recently, the impact being made by Jorginho with the Gunners having moved from Chelsea in the January window. Some players need a fresh challenge, while others can thrive in a different system. Liverpool believe Mount can do both.
The expected firesale in the summer at Stamford Bridge has left them susceptible to offers, with another Chelsea midfielder of similar profile to Mount, fellow England man Conor Gallagher, among those Liverpool are assessing ahead of the summer. Gallagher featured for the final 20 minutes on Tuesday night.
Liverpool's midfield issues were apparent again at Stamford Bridge, with Jordan Henderson and Fabinho once more compelled to start. Henderson in particular ran out of gas after an hour, as did Curtis Jones, understandable given it was only the 21-year-old's second Premier League start of the campaign.
Quite whether Henderson and Fabinho have enough in the tank to go again for the visit of Arsenal on Sunday will be one of several major decisions facing Klopp, although Harvey Elliott could be back after being rested in midweek. With Thiago Alcantara and Naby Keita likely to be out, Stefan Bajcetic sidelined and Arthur Melo not a realistic starting option, Liverpool don't have much wriggle room at present.
But the next time Liverpool come up against Chelsea, the prospect of Mount lining up in opposition to the Londoners doesn't seem as fanciful as it did mere weeks ago. The future of the midfield just got that bit more intriguing.
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