OPINION
After a phenomenal loan spell last season, Mason Mount should have been given an opportunity at Chelsea and loaning him out again is a mistake by the club.
As reported by trusted Telegraph journalist John Percy on Twitter, Mount is set to join Derby County on a season-long deal from the London club.
Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount is set to sign for Derby on a season's loan in the next 24 hours. Smart signing by Frank Lampard #dcfc #cfc
— John Percy (@JPercyTelegraph) July 16, 2018
But he should have been given a shot in the Chelsea first-team.
The 19-year-old is a genuine once in a generation midfield talent who possesses all the attributes in order to be a top-quality midfielder.
Last season, the youngster spent a season on-loan at Eredivisie side Vitesse Arnhem. His performances and statistics were absolutely off the charts for a player of his age, especially after having had so little experience of senior football previously.
In 40 appearances in Dutch football last season, the Englishman scored 13 goals and provided 10 assists in all competitions. But the statistics only tell half the story.
His performances were consistently brilliant, showing real composure and intelligence on the ball. He’s got great close control, dribbling ability, superb vision and has a good turn of pace.
With all the change that is happening at Stamford Bridge this summer, as Antonio Conte leaves and Maurizio Sarri joins, it would have been the perfect time to phase Mount into the first-team picture in order to develop.
But as with Ruben Loftus-Cheek and many before him, The Blues ignored the strength of their young talent at their disposal and signed Italian midfielder Jorginho from Napoli, adding yet another obstacle to the first-team squad.
Mount’s imminent loan move to Derby County will be good for him, playing regular football and learning from a Chelsea legend in Frank Lampard. But you can’t help but think that this is a missed opportunity by the club to show one of their outstanding young talents just how much the club values them. The club must give him a chance next season, because his future may depend on it.