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Liverpool and Juventus are keeping tabs on Mason Mount's situation at Chelsea following contract talks being put on hold until after the 2022 FIFA World Cup, per the Guardian.
The 23-year-old English attacker's current deal at Stamford Bridge expires in 2024, and clubs are now checking whether he can be captured.
Mount has been negotiating with Chelsea over a new deal since this past summer, but those talks are not expected to resume until January.
The club's owners are eager to keep hold of Mount, one of the West London club's top stars.
He has made 21 appearances across competitions this season, scoring two goals and providing six assists.
There is a sense of optimism that the negotiations will conclude positively, and Mount has even been earmarked as a potential future Chelsea captain.
However, should discussions over a new contract not reach a successful conclusion, it seems that Liverpool and Juventus will be waiting in the wings.
Mount has made 181 appearances as a Blue, scoring 32 goals and providing 37 assists.
The English forward won the Champions League trophy in 2021, the FIFA Club World Cup, and the UEFA Super Cup in 2022.
Reds boss Jurgen Klopp has previously lauded Mount after his 41st-minute winner in the two sides' clash in March 2021.
Klopp said (via Tribuna):
"The individual quality of Mason Mount in that moment made the difference,"
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher defends Chelsea's Mount over doubts ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Mount will be heading to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar with England.
The attacking midfielder was selected as part of Gareth Southgate's 26-man squad.
He has earned 32 international caps, scoring five goals and contributing five assists.
However, Mount hasn't been without his critics who often question his selection in Southgate's team.
The Chelsea attacker has competition from the likes of Manchester City duo Jack Grealish and Phil Foden, Leicester City's James Maddison, and his Blues teammate Conor Gallagher.
Former Liverpool defender Carragher has defended Mount, saying (via football.london):
"People question Mason Mount possibly because he’s not as easy on the eye as other players."
The Reds icon then alluded to the fact that he is regularly picked by both club and country and can help on both sides of the pitch:
"But every manager picks him, Chelsea or England, he’s a clever footballer who understands the other side of the game and I think he can do a job and make sure England don’t get counter-attacked on."
