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Former Chelsea attacker Joe Cole has opined that the Blues will miss Mason Mount on and off the pitch following the midfielder's transfer to Manchester United.
Mount, 24, is one of 11 players who have left Stamford Bridge on a permanent transfer this summer. He joined Manchester United for an initial sum of £55 million earlier this month. The Blues could pocket another £5 million from the midfielder's sale in add-ons.
Chelsea have used that money to balance their books and also bolster their transfer kitty. However, Cole reckons the London giants will sorely miss Mount's technical ability on the pitch and leadership off it. The former attacker told TNT Sports:
"I think Chelsea will miss Mason (Mount) on the pitch because of his ability, but also off the pitch because of what he means to the club as a leader and a player that came through the ranks."
Apart from Mount, the Premier League giants have also sold Kai Havertz, Mateo Kovacic, Kalidou Koulibaly, Christian Pulisic, Edouard Mendy, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Ethan Ampadu this summer. Meanwhile, N'Golo Kante, Cesar Azpilicueta and Baba Rahman left on free transfers.
Among the players that have left the club, Mount was arguably one of the most important to the Stamford Bridge outfit in recent years.
Why did Mason Mount leave Chelsea?
Mason Mount rose through the ranks at Chelsea after joining the club as a six-year-old in 2005.
The attacking midfielder had loan spells at Vitesse and Derby Count before having his breakthrough at Stamford Bridge. He made his senior debut for the club in a 4-0 defeat at Manchester United in the Premier League in August 2019.
The Englishman went on to make 195 appearances across competitions for the Blues, bagging 33 goals and 37 assists. He displayed his versatility by playing in several positions, including central midfield and as a false nine. He also helped the club win the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.
However, Mason Mount's future became increasingly unclear last season. With the midfielder entering the final year of his contract, the Blues were keen to tie him down to a new long-term deal. However, they struggled to reach an agreement with the player over terms.
Chelsea were thus left with no option but to sell the former Derby loanee this summer to avoid losing him for free next year. After weeks of negotiations, they agreed to sell him to league rivals Manchester United for £55 million.
