The ultimate dream as an academy player must be reaching the first team with your closest friends, your teammates for years – those who have had the exact same journey.Mason Mount and Trevoh Chalobah lived that dream at Chelsea.It was not one with a fairytale ending, however, with Mount reportedly set to complete a move to Old Trafford, ending 18 years at the London club, where he became the player that managed to attract interest from Manchester United in the first place.With the news of his pending exit, Chalobah shared his emotional goodbye on social media.
What’s the latest on Mason Mount?
Amid a disappointing Premier League season last time out, finishing in the bottom half at Chelsea, Mount reportedly rejected the Blues’ contract offers and looked set to leave on a free next summer. And that’s when United swooped in.
Despite negotiations going back and forth, the Red Devils finally reached an agreement with the London club on a deal worth £60m, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Fans won’t like to admit it, but Chelsea will likely miss Mount next season. As per Opta, since the 2019/20 campaign, he has arguably been their best player, leading the way in appearances, chances created, goals and assists. The fact is, he was a crucial part of the squad at Stamford Bridge.
It’s a shame for the academy, too, having seen Mount make it all the way to the first team, before becoming a central figure for the Blues. With the potential to replicate the likes of Frank Lampard as a club icon, however, the England international moves on to the Red Devils.
For context of how unlikely an exit once seemed, if you told us that Mount would be heading to Manchester United a year ago, we’d have assumed a late-season fixture was taking place, rather than a transfer…
What did Trevoh Chalobah say to Mason Mount?
An emotional Chalobah seemed to issue a heartfelt goodbye to Mount – who he came through the academy with – saying on Twitter: “My boy.” – he also added a crying emoji and a broken heart.
Reaching the first-team, like Mount, the defender has since enjoyed many moments to remember, and will only be looking to add to his memories under new manager Mauricio Pochettino next season.
A fresh start under a new boss could see 23-year-old Chalobah establish a starting place for the Blues once more, amid the usual competition for places.
Pre-season will certainly be an important one, as Chelsea look to turn things around, even without Mount, to make a return to the Champions League places in the coming campaign.
