Mauricio Pochettino’s appointment at Chelsea is edging ever closer and his plans for his new club have already been outlined.
The Argentine’s idea for the squad includes adding a combination of youth and experience within the transfers, as well as the formulation of a new “spine” for the team.
This principle of regularly starting a core set of players was one of the key features of his Spurs tenure and a player whom the 51-year-old cherished and embedded in this category was Christian Eriksen.
Mason Mount, a man currently in west London, possesses a similar plethora of attributes to the Dane, and under Pochettino’s stewardship, the Englishman could emulate his midfield counterpart's devastating creativity.
The Blues star has endured his most troubled year in a season of dramatic instability under new ownership, but his Chelsea career could be revived.
How has Mason Mount played this season?
The 36-cap international has experienced his most unproductive campaign since he made his Chelsea debut in 2019.
In 35 appearances in all competitions, the 24-year-old has recorded just nine contributions as his side dismally resides in 11th position in the domestic standings and have all but condemned themselves to no European football next term.
On top of this decline in form, the Blues academy product’s contract negotiations have been in a frustrating deadlock for a number of months amid reports that the star may depart Stamford Bridge in the summer.
However, fans shouldn’t let this difficult period define Mount or the staggering achievements he has already accomplished with the club. The £80k-per-week man played a pivotal role in the 2021 Champions League triumph and has twice been crowned as Chelsea’s Player of the Year.
The arrival of Pochettino could see him mould the attacker as his new Eriksen, who was a fountain of creativity, technique, and end product during his time in north London as he registered 159 goal contributions in 305 appearances for the Lilywhites.
Pochettino often deployed Eriksen as a central attacking midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 or as an advanced eight in a 4-3-3, and he excelled in this playmaking role – decorating proceedings with his inventive and impudent long-passing and chance-creation, whilst providing constant support for the free-scoring Harry Kane.
These are two positions that Mount has often taken up for the west Londoners as he looks far more comfortable in central areas than out wide.
Premier League legend Frank Lampard has described him as “outstanding” and to starve the Stamford Bridge faithful of the £56m-rated ace under Pochettino would be uncalculated and reckless.
