Mason Mount not the only Chelsea star Liverpool want as report details January approach for Blues defender

Liverpool are interested in more than one Chelsea player as they hoped to sign one of Mason Mount’s team-mates during the January transfer window, according to a report.

Mount’s future is up in the air at the moment. According to talkSPORT, his contract renewal talks with Chelsea are at a standstill over pay. The attacking midfielder wants to become one of the highest earners in the Chelsea squad, but Blues officials are unwilling to agree to this.

With Mount’s current deal expiring in June 2024, Chelsea are at growing risk of having to sell the England international this summer to prevent him from leaving on a free transfer next year. Liverpool and Manchester United are understood to be keeping tabs on the situation.

On Thursday, talkSPORT claimed Liverpool are growing in confidence about raiding Chelsea for Mount. They claim to have spoken with sources who are close to the Mount camp, and it is now ‘highly likely’ he will move to Anfield in the summer.

While Mount could secure an eye-catching summer move, Chelsea defender Benoit Badiashile had the opportunity to join Liverpool in January.

football.london claim both Liverpool and Barcelona told Monaco they were interested in Badiashile during the recent winter window.

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The centre-back evaluated those options before ultimately deciding on Chelsea. He liked the idea of becoming an important part of their long-term project.

The report notes how Chelsea fans will be delighted at having beaten Barca to Badiashile’s services. This comes after the La Liga giants usurped Chelsea’s moves for Raphinha and Jules Kounde.

Liverpool will struggle to capture Mount team-mate

The fact Liverpool are named as potential suitors for Badiashile is a surprise. There were not many rumours involving the Frenchman and Liverpool in the build up to the January window, but Jurgen Klopp’s interest in him has now come to light.

Liverpool are in need of a defensive overhaul – in addition to the midfield revamp they have planned – due to concerns over the form of Joel Matip and Joe Gomez. Plus, Matip and Virgil van Dijk are both 31 years old, so Klopp could do with having a younger defender join and help Ibrahima Konate in the future.

Badiashile would have been a good option. He is only 21 but is already showing his class for Chelsea. The only trouble for Liverpool is that there is little chance Chelsea will sell Badiashile to an English rival now.

Instead, the Reds could pursue a rising West Ham star. As per Goal, Nayef Aguerd’s performances this season ‘have not gone unnoticed’ at Liverpool.

Aguerd may be slightly easier for Liverpool to capture than Badiashile. But he will still not come cheap. After all, West Ham signed him from Rennes for £30m last summer.

Meanwhile, a Liverpool star has reportedly told Klopp he wants to leave Anfield amid an approach from a Serie A giant.