Chelsea

Chelsea

Premier League • England

Todd Boehly labelled a ‘disgrace’ as pundit angered by England star’s Chelsea exit while ‘garbage’ retained

Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Mason Mount, Chelsea, October 2021

TalkSPORT pundit Jamie O’Hara has labelled Chelsea owner Todd Boehly a ‘disgrace’ for the way he has treated Mason Mount and generally run the club.

The Blues endured a dreadful campaign, finishing down in 12th spot in the Premier League standings. The west Londoners won just 11 top-flight games despite spending vast sums of money on new players. The Boehly era has seen around £600m forked out on recruitment.

But it made little difference as a combination of Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Frank Lampard failed to deliver the goods.

Mauricio Pochettino is the man charged with the task of sorting out the mess of a bloated squad.

The former Tottenham chief appears to have wasted little time in getting started.

A few Chelsea players have already been linked with exits during the off-season. Mount is one such star who looks set to leave Stamford Bridge.

The England international has just 12 months left on his current deal. And it seems as though he will be sold this summer to avoid the possibility of losing him for nothing next year.

Manchester United have been heavily linked and reports earlier this week claimed personal terms had been agreed with the Red Devils.

The clubs have yet to agree on a price, with Chelsea said to be holding out for around £70m.

READ MORE: Chelsea laugh off £30m bid for player Pochettino will unleash in place of exiting Boehly flop

However, it is thought that a compromise will be reached to facilitate the move north.

Mount treatment draws O’Hara’s ire

Chelsea have signed a number of big-name players over the past 12 months, but it could be argued that few, if any, have really shone.

Mount has not been at his best this term but has also struggled with a string of niggling injuries.

There will be many Chelsea fans who will be sorry to see him leave. O’Hara is one of them and the former Tottenham midfielder did not hold back in his assessment of the Chelsea owner.

“I think Boehly’s a disgrace,” he told TalkSPORT. “What they’re doing is downgrading Mason Mount, a top player, homegrown player, been at the club since he was 10.

“Loves the football club, but because he’s come in and spent £600m on bang average players, you now need to balance the books and you’re downgrading for a Mudryk whose £70m and has been garbage.”

And the pundit believes the American businessman is in way over his head and should have stuck to US sports.

“That for me just shows how he’s not meant to run a football club,” he added.

“He doesn’t understand homegrown talent, he doesn’t understand academy players, he doesn’t understand you need those players in your dressing room.

“Mason Mount is Chelsea, and now Chelsea have to get rid of him just to balance the books.”

READ MORE: Chelsea greenlight first summer exit as Man City given permission to begin damaging raid