Stan Collymore has raised a suggestion as to how Frank Lampard ‘may have swayed’ Mason Mount towards a potential move to Liverpool.
The Reds have been heavily linked with the Chelsea midfielder of late, with The Athletic recently claiming that Jurgen Klopp’s side are the frontrunners to lure him away from Stamford Bridge amid an impasse over terms of a possible new contract, with his current deal expiring next year (Daily Mail).
One former Anfield striker has now explained how the history of the Merseyside club could be a hugely persuasive factor, adding that the Blues manager’s own experience could actually entice the 24-year-old into leaving west London.
In his column for CaughtOffside on Friday, Collymore wrote: “I was up at Anfield yesterday as John Barnes had a mural unveiled. Walk around the corner and there’s one of Ian Callaghan, Jurgen Klopp, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Steven Gerrard and Phil Neal.
“The place is dripping with great British football history and it’s a persuasive argument for a young man who’s only known Chelsea to go up north to a former industrial city, a proper footballing city and to find out what it’s like.
“Frank Lampard interestingly may have swayed it in his favour, which might sound odd, but if Mount’s advisors say ‘he’s not signing a new contract’ and then he goes to Frank ‘what do you think?’….
“Don’t forget Frank Lampard went up to Man City late in his career and enjoyed that experience of being in a different place.”
Lampard has had a hugely influential role in Mount’s career, giving him regular game-time on loan at Derby in 2018/19 and then making him a core presence in Chelsea’s line-up up taking the reins at Stamford Bridge the following season (Transfermarkt).
The midfielder could well lean heavily towards his current manager, but with the 44-year-old only back with the Blues on a caretaker basis, the Liverpool target may possibly be tempted elsewhere once his boss goes in the summer.
Indeed, not even Lampard’s presence is proving particularly helpful to the 36-cap England international right now – he hasn’t started any of the west Londoners’ four matches since their all-time record scorer returned to the dugout earlier this month (Transfermarkt).
If the Chelsea boss does make a case for a player like Mount to try his luck with a move away from the capital, like he himself did with Manchester City and New York City FC towards the end of his playing days, that could make the 24-year-old more receptive to a possible switch to Anfield.
After a tumultuous last 12 months at Stamford Bridge with changes in management and ownership, could he be swayed towards the stability of Klopp’s long-term project on Merseyside? And might his current manager actually give him a nudge towards that move happening?…
Gravenberch and Mount two players their respective clubs don’t want. Exciting times