Chelsea transfer exclusive: Newcastle emerge as rivals to Liverpool, Man Utd for contract misfit but Blues stay not completely ruled out

Newcastle have emerged as major suitors to sign a Chelsea star unhappy over stalled contract discussions, as both Liverpool and Manchester United also prepare for a summer swoop, TEAMtalk understands.

England playmaker Mason Mount is currently at an impasse with the club over talks over a new deal, with the 24-year-old convinced that he is worth more than the Stamford Bridge outfit are willing to pay him.

Mount’s current deal runs out in the summer of 2024 but there have been no signs of a new deal being struck so far.

Indeed, we told you earlier this week that Chelsea want Mount to fall in line with Todd Boehly’s new wage structure that deals more in incentives and bonuses than cold, hard cash.

However, Mount feels that his performances last season warrant a significant rise, even though his levels have dipped this time around.

Indeed, the midfielder is not even a guaranteed starter under Graham Potter anymore, news which has led to Liverpool and United eyeing up a summer swoop.

And those rumours only heightened after Mount hired top agency ROOF to access the market for his signature, as Ben Jacobs explained.

The trusted reporter said: “What’s led to a feeling that Mount may move is the fact that top agent Neil Fewings from the agency ROOF has come in. And people perhaps put two and two together and assume that that appointment has been made with a view to manufacturing and then negotiating a move away from Chelsea.

“But Tony Mount, Mason’s father, is still his agent and Fewings has come in to scout the market of course and help with negotiations.

“But that doesn’t for certain show that Mount is leaving Chelsea, nothing is 100% determined at this point. And therefore Chelsea have the situation in their control. But the suitors will certainly be encouraged by the fact that nothing has been signed to date.

Liverpool interest more concrete than United’s

“Liverpool’s interest is very genuine, and Mount is exactly the kind of player that fits their profile. And for the price that he will be available at if he doesn’t sign with Chelsea, that will be deemed to be a bargain. That is why Liverpool are one to watch over the coming months.

“I think that Manchester United admire Mount, but they’ve certainly not put in the same kind of approaches to date as other clubs on the player side. But we are still only in late March.

“United will be looking for a traditional number nine as a priority and some right back cover. And then it’s intriguing to see what they do with their midfield because there’s a lot of versatile players at Manchester United.

“Therefore, Mount isn’t necessarily a top priority position, even if he’s a player that they really like. And obviously if Manchester United enter the race, which will be a highly competitive one for Jude Bellingham, then he’s the type of player that can play deeper in central midfield or in a more advanced central position as well.

“Mount, meanwhile, offers a lot of movement and versatility. But there’s a number of other players at Manchester United that can do that as well.

“So that’s not to say that United won’t be something worth keeping an eye on. But I think that Liverpool have been more concrete to date.”

Newcastle have Mason Mount ‘need’

While Liverpool and United continue to appear to be the frontrunners for Mount, Jacobs also threw Newcastle into the mix.

He added: “Newcastle is another club to just watch as a prospective suitor because unlike Manchester United, they’re very much looking for this position. And we’ve seen historically, Newcastle and Eddie Howe in particular, be on the lookout for that creative kind of player that can get into lots of different positions that can chip in with goals and assists and play in more advanced positions.

“That’s ultimately why Newcastle will have looked at James Maddison, they’ve looked at Jack Harrison in the past. And each of these types of players are slightly different but highly versatile, and even Christian Pulisic is another player who’s available on the market that Newcastle have taken a look at in the past before.

“So there’s a pattern in Newcastle’s targets if you look back at January and the summer, and even though each player is a slightly different kind of profile, there is a uniformity.

“They’re all versatile, all creative. They can all take set pieces, they can all get wide and into central areas. They can all drag defenders out of positions, they can all score goals, and none of them are traditional forwards and none of them can only play in one position.

“So clearly the brief at Newcastle is forward-thinking, creative and multi-purpose players. And I think that mount Pulisic, Maddison and Mount all fall into that category.

“So I think that should Mount Leave Chelsea, which is not given, then Newcastle will also be one to watch.”

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