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Liverpool, Manchester United, and Newcastle United have all joined the race to sign Chelsea's star player Mason Mount. The England international's contract at Chelsea is set to expire in the summer of 2024. According to reports, a contract extension hasn't yet been agreed upon.

The questions being asked here are, where will Mount go next, and if he does sign for Liverpool, how would he fit into their midfield?

Who is Mason Mount?

Mason Mount is a 24-year-old attacking midfielder/central midfielder who currently plays for English Premier League side Chelsea. Since playing for the London club, he has scored 27 goals in 127 games across all competitions.

He made his debut playing for Chelsea's senior team after coming through the 'Blues' youth system in 2017 and his international debut for England came in 2019.

While playing for England, he has so far scored 5 goals in 36 games. Mount was born in Portsmouth, England, in January 1999; the right-footed attacking midfielder wears the number 19 shirt for Chelsea.

Where would Mount fit into Liverpool's midfield if he makes the switch?

If Liverpool were to sign Mount this year or next year, it would be purely to strengthen the current midfield, which currently consists of the following players:

Fabinho Harvey Elliot Curtis Jones Jordan Henderson Alexander Oxlade-Chamberlain James Milner Thiago Alcantara Naby Keita Stefan Bajcetic

If he does sign for the 'Reds,' he would definitely be an asset to the club. He would n easily fit into the middle of the field without Klopp having to make too many changes. Liverpool will no doubt be keeping a close eye on Mount's contract situation over the coming months.

Mason Mount's next club odds

If you look at some of today's major soccer betting websites, you will see that Manchester United have a slightly better chance of signing Mason Mount than Liverpool.

Some of the other clubs he could also potentially sign for are Newcastle United (English Premier League), Manchester City (English Premier League), Paris Saint-Germain (French Ligue 1), or Inter Milan (Italian Serie A).

Let's take a quick closer look at the odds:

Manchester United – Mount is currently priced, on average, at around 4/1 in the UK fractional odds format to join the Red Devils. This works out to 400 in the American/moneyline odds format or 5.00 in the European decimal odds format. This also means that there's a 20% chance of him joining Man United Liverpool – To join Liverpool, you're currently looking at odds of around 6/1 (which is 600, or 7.00), with a 14.30% chance of joining Manchester City – To join the Sky Blues, you're looking at average odds of around 12/1 (1,200, or 13.00), with a 7.70% chance of joining Paris Saint-Germain – To join Ligue 1 side PSG, you're looking at odds of around 16/1 (1,600, or 17.00), with a 5.90% chance of joining Inter Milan – To join Inter, the market is priced at around 25/1 (2,500, or 26.00), with only a 3.80% chance of joining

What's next for Mason Mount

Mason Mount is currently worth somewhere in the region of €55 million to €92 million. Whether Chelsea extends his contract to keep him there for a few more years or decides to cash in on their prolific star player while he's in the best form of his life remains to be seen.

Chelsea are currently in tenth place in the Premier League. They have just 34 points after 25 games, having won only 9 games, drawn 7 and lost 9. They have scored 24 goals and let in 25.

On Saturday, March 11th, they travel away in the Premier League to play Leicester City at the King Power Stadium. Their next league game is a home game against Everton on March 18th, and then on April 1st, they have another home game, this time against Aston Villa.

Image Source: Pixabay

Chelsea are reportedly lining up a move for Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and the electric winger could prove to be the next Eden Hazard at Stamford Bridge.

Could Chelsea sign Khvicha Kvaratskhelia?

According to Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport, the Serie A leaders are prepared to double the wages of the man they signed only last summer when he penned a five-year deal after joining from Georgian outfit Dinamo Batumi, in order to keep him at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium amid interest from the Blues and elsewhere.

Chelsea could look to increase their £550m spending spree under Todd Boehly and improve the attacking options available to Graham Potter at Stamford Bridge, as the Blues continue to struggle in the final third, with just 29 goals in 27 top-flight fixtures so far this campaign.

Kvaratskhelia certainly won't come cheap, with the Azzurri expected to demand as much as €100m (£88m) for one of their most coveted assets, with the 22-year-old instrumental in Luciano Spalletti's side's likely Scudetto triumph this season.

In 23 Serie A appearances, the Chelsea-linked star has contributed a phenomenal 12 goals and 10 assists, earning a hugely impressive 7.64 rating from WhoScored for his performances. This has spilled over into all competitions too, where he boasts 14 goals and 16 assists.

Not only is this a higher rating than anyone in Chelsea's squad, but his average of 2.9 shots, 1.7 key passes and 1.8 dribbles also cannot be matched by anyone who has made more than 10 Premier League appearances for the Blues so far this campaign.

Journalist Mina Rzouki was full of praise for the Georgia international just a month into his career with Napoli, writing:

"Ok, Kvaratskhelia is a phenomenon. This kid is so special. I know it’s just Napoli’s second game, but he is bossing everything."

Could Kvaratskhelia be Chelsea's next Hazard?

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry also lauded the 22-year-old on CBS Sports earlier in the season and likened the Georgian wide man to Real Madrid winger Hazard, who was previously a star at Stamford Bridge.

He said:

"[He is] very Eden Hazard-like. He is brilliant. He can do anything. Press. Dribble and assist. The balance, composure and vision."

During his time in England, the Belgium international would make a remarkable 352 appearances, contributing 110 goals and 92 assists in that time, firmly establishing himself as a fan favourite and Premier League great. His fall from grace has been stark though, with just one goal and one assist in seven appearances across all competitions.

Chelsea have lacked a winger of Hazard's immense quality since his 2019 exit, with the likes of Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech failing to take up his mantle at Stamford Bridge, so Kvaratskhelia could be exactly what Potter needs as he looks to mould a squad capable of challenging at the top next season.

Matheus Nunes' sending off from the bench against Leeds United yesterday typified the start to his Wolverhampton Wanderers career.

What's happened to Nunes at Wolves?

The Portuguese midfielder was signed for a club-record fee in the summer by Bruno Lage but has done very little to justify his price tag thus far, and has been relegated to the beach for recent fixtures by Julen Lopetegui.

Even with Wolves chasing the game in a relegation six-pointer against Leeds on Saturday, the former Sporting Lisbon man was left on the bench, which suggests that the Spanish manager simply doesn't trust him to have an attacking impact on the game.

Nunes, who earns £85k-per-week at Molineux, would still make his mark however, as he received a red card in the dying moments after being deemed to have pushed the linesman, and could now face three games out at a crucial period of the season.

Journalist Liam Keen criticised the 24-year-old's performance against Bournemouth in a recent podcast for the Express and Star, saying:

"The crossfield passes, and 10-yard passes that were totally out of bounds, were just not good enough unfortunately, and it's not because he isn't good enough or doesn't have the talent, it was that he was just allowing the game to pass him by, he knew he was better than the players around him.

"That's a dangerous precedent to set. You cannot think that 'right I'm head and shoulders above the players around me.' And that's what it looked like for me, and that meant that he got punished."

That was evident once again on Saturday as Nunes was clearly frustrated by being left on the bench and managed to cost his team without ever setting foot on the pitch, with that limiting Lopetegui's midfield options even further for upcoming fixtures.

Since joining in the summer, the Portugal international has managed no goals and just one assist in 25 Premier League appearances, with WhoScored awarding him a shocking 6.54 rating for his performances.

This ranks him as the eighth-best performer at Molineux this season, which is disappointing given his price tag and reputation before joining Wolves, with Pep Guardiola ranking him as "one of the best players in the world" after Manchester City beat Sporting in the Champions League last year.

It would be a bold decision by Lopetegui to get rid of Nunes so early into his Wolves career but considering his awful attitude, poor performances and the reported interest being shown in him by Liverpool and Chelsea, Lopetegui might be best served by cashing in on the record signing rather than letting him rot on the bench.

An update has emerged on Aston Villa and their interest in signing Jacob Greaves heading into the summer transfer window…

What’s the latest on Jacob Greaves to Aston Villa?

According to the Daily Mail, the Villans are eyeing up the Hull City central defender with a view to a potential swoop for the youngster at the end of the season.

The report claims that fellow Premier League sides Nottingham Forest and Brentford are both keen on the centre-back, who has caught the eye of top-flight scouts this term.

It is stated that the Englishman is valued at around £7m by the Championship outfit but it remains to be seen whether or not NSWE will lodge an offer for him.

Could Jacob Greaves be the heir to Tyrone Mings’ throne?

Unai Emery could land the dream heir to Tyrone Mings’ position on the left of his centre-back pairing by swooping to sign the Hull star in the summer.

The current Villa defender has been a solid performer at the back for the club in the Premier League this season. He has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.80 across 21 starts and won 59% of his duels, which shows that the enforcer has been fairly efficient in his defensive work.

Mings has made the step up to the top flight in recent seasons after catching the eye for the Villans in the Championship in the second half of the 2018/19 campaign under Dean Smith. The England international averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.03 and won 67% of his battles across 15 outings in the second tier and has since gone on to play 126 times in the Premier League for the club.

Greaves – a left-footed centre-back – could make the same transition based on his impressive form for Hull this season. The 22-year-old, who is seven years younger than the Villa star, has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.02 in 33 Championship outings for the Tigers and won 64% of his duels.

He has also made 3.7 tackles and interceptions and 3.8 clearances per game – compared to Mings’ 2.2 and four per match at that level – and this shows that the battler is able to consistently cut out opposition attacks with his defensive strength and positioning.

At the age of 22, Greaves is a young player with the potential to develop and improve – with ex-boss Grant McCann stating that he is “going to be special”. Indeed, that may well mean that Emery could bring the battler in as a long-term signing with the view to him taking over from Mings in the future.

His performances for Hull this season are similar to the ones that the Villa enforcer produced during his time in the Championship with Smith’s side and the Tigers star could, therefore, have the quality to make the step up to the Premier League, as his compatriot did.

Alan Brazil has slammed Vitaliy Mykolenko for his role in Everton’s Merseyside derby defeat last night on TalkSport.

The Lowdown: Everton brought back down to earth

After a stunning start to life as Everton manager, Sean Dyche’s Toffees side were brought crashing back down to earth on Monday evening as they were easily swept aside by their local rivals.

Everton did manage to pick up three points from two games against Arsenal and Liverpool, which many may have taken prior to the victory against the Gunners, but last night showed why they are near the bottom of the table.

The Toffees failed to take the game to Liverpool at any stage, managing just three shots on target which equated to an expected goals ratio of just 0.3 (as per FBref). Meanwhile, their defending from the likes of Mykolenko, Conor Coady and also goalkeeper Jordan Pickford left a lot to be desired.

The Lates: Mykolenko poor in latest defeat

Indeed, Brazil picked out Mykolenko for his lack of defensive awareness in Everton’s defeat as he left a lot of the pitch open for Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo to drift into for the first goal.

He said: “Mykolenko, what was he doing? He came right across trying to cover, and he was like the right-hand side centre-back. He didn’t have to go that far over, he just left the middle wide open. Surely he had to be another 10-12 yards back, central, and then the cross into the box would’ve been harder.”

The Verdict: Problems arise for Dyche

While getting beaten by Liverpool is not something unusual for Everton over the years, the fact that both of the goals they conceded had included errors meant the Toffees didn’t make their rivals work very hard, which will be frustrating for fans.

Dyche will be furious that experienced players such as Coady and Pickford made high-profile errors that allowed Liverpool to score as he will have been looking to players like them to lead Everton away from the drop zone, as they remain engulfed in a relegation dogfight.

In fairness to Mykolenko, while he did indeed vacate a lot of space behind him for the first goal, he clearly felt as though he had to go over and close down Darwin Nunez in a split-second decision, such was the devastating speed of the Uruguayan’s counter-attack.

But Brazil wasn’t alone in slating the defender’s display, as reporter Jeorge Bird also felt he had ‘difficult moments’ all game.

BBC pundit Chris Sutton has claimed the future of Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane is in doubt now that he has become the club’s record goalscorer.

What’s the word?

It was a pretty good weekend for the Spurs striker as he helped his team pick up an important win in the Premier League. Indeed, the 29-year-old scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win over Manchester City.

However, not only did that goal help Tottenham pick up all three points and move just one point and one place behind Newcastle United in the Champions League places, but it also saw Kane reach an important milestone.

Indeed, the England captain netted his 267th goal for Spurs, meaning he has now supposed Jimmy Greaves to become the north London club’s all-time top scorer.

However, having achieved this goal, Sutton has wondered if that could be enough to convince Kane that this summer will be the right time to finally leave the club for pastures new.

Speaking live on BBC 606, he said: “I mean, it does beg the question, doesn’t it?

“Now that, you know, he’s got the record at Spurs, what happens in the summer? I mean, are there Spurs fans out there who think that he could be lured away? I don’t know.”

Next challenge

With Kane yet to win a major trophy at Tottenham, he has had to become a club legend by setting personal records and now that he arguably has the most important individual accolade a player can have at a club, he may feel the time is right to seek a new challenge.

What’s more, he will be turning 30 in the summer and with his contract expiring in 2024 this might be the best chance to leave Spurs while he is still in his prime years.

The likes of Manchester United and Bayern Munich are both often touted as possible destinations and it’s certainly reasonable to think he would have a better chance of winning silverware with those clubs.

It’ll certainly be interesting to see how it all plays out in the summer. For now, though, Kane seems pretty happy to have beaten this record at Tottenham.

Indeed, speaking after the game, he BBC Match of the Day: “When you look at the names who have been here, to overtake Jimmy Greaves – one of the greatest to play the game – I’m extremely grateful.”

Arsenal have a ‘very good chance’ of signing Eintracht Frankfurt defender Evan Ndicka, according to journalist Christian Falk.

The Lowdown: Ndicka’s future

The 23-year-old’s contract at Deutsche Bank Park is set to expire at the end of the season, and a whole host of Premier League clubs are said to be interested in his signature, with the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United named as potential suitors in recent weeks.

Falk has recently claimed that Arsenal have spoken to the player’s agent, although a move away from his current club is not said to be concrete, as the Bundesliga outfit are still hoping to extend his contract.

The Latest: Ndicka to Arsenal is possible

The centre-back is yet to extend his stay in Germany, and Falk has now shared a fresh claim on the Gunners’ chances of signing Ndicka.

When asked by GIVEMESPORT if there is a possibility of Arsenal getting their man, the journalist replied: “If he is leaving the club, I would say yes, they have a very good chance. But also Frankfurt is hoping to keep him; he has an offer on the table for a new deal.

“It’s a three-year contract. He gets more money. But also, if he gets €3-5m, this is what I’ve heard.”

The Verdict: Get it done

Described as a ‘towering’ defender by journalist Jacque Talbot, Ndicka is fantastic in aerial situations, using his 6 foot 4 frame to his advantage by winning 2.42 aerial duels per 90 in the past year, more than both Gabriel (2.06) and William Saliba (1.63) have managed in the same timeframe.

While this presence would be very useful for Arsenal in defensive situations, there are also indications that the Frenchman could offer a threat in attack. He weighed in with four goals and four assists for Frankfurt in the Bundesliga last season, a fine record for a defender.

The Gunners are not blessed with too many options at centre-back, with Rob Holding being the only senior backup option at present, and Ndicka would at least provide some much-needed depth in Mikel Arteta’s squad.

Liverpool’s most salient area for reinforcing on the transfer front is unequivocally the centre of the park, but that does not mean the club won’t target the offensive front if the right, enticing opportunity comes along.

And according to reports stemming from Italy (via the Liverpool Echo), MLS outfit Chicago Fire’s prodigious forward talent Jhon Duran has caught the attention of Reds boss Jurgen Klopp, who is making a ‘concrete’ move for the player with the January market recently swinging its doors open.

The teenager has scarcely tasted senior action, but has already impressed in his first year with a clinical edge and fearsome physicality that could pave the foundation for an exemplary career as a striking phenomenon.

A fee of roughly $21m (£17.5m), could be enough to prise him away from Fire’s clutches, as per Calciomercato, and although the asking price might appear steep for an unknown commodity on European soil, his dynamic skill set would be a welcome tool for any top outfit chasing success…

Calciomercato reporter Raffaele Amato tweeted this about the situation: “Liverpool are also making concrete moves for Duran, but the current offer is lower than Benfica’s. The biggest pitfall for the Portuguese is represented by Aston Villa. Chicago are aiming to collect 20 million euros.”

Next Suarez

At only 19-years-old, Duran has bagged eight goals and five assists from only 14 starts across the 2022 MLS campaign in a breakthrough year where the Colombian phenom has emerged onto the American scene in resounding fashion.

The three-cap gem was at the centre of heaped praise from talent scout Jacek Kulig when he was still only 18-years-old, regarded as a “complete” centre-forward, “fast, powerful & confident with the ball at his feet”, and “aggressive & determined in the penalty area.”

His all-encompassing aura on the pitch, despite his tender age, could pay dividends for Klopp as he looks to turn the page on a new chapter at Anfield, and bring the club a talisman for the coming years that could emulate the success of coveted centre-forward Luis Suarez, someone who like Duran, was very much an aggressive and complete attacker.

Suarez signed for the Reds from AFC Ajax in 2012 for a fee of £22.7m, and he went on to forge one of the most devastating careers in Premier League history, captivating fans and pundits alike with his blistering arsenal and innate knack to find the back of the net from every distance and angle, scoring 69 goals and 39 assists over just 110 Premier League outings.

The “wonderkid” – as heralded by Tom Bogert – is still very much untested on the biggest stage, but he certainly holds the ingredients to serve up a concoction of striking excellence, and with a cutting edge already apparent from his little time spent in the MLS, he could nurture his precocious abilities at one of the world’s most prominent outfits.

His impressive Sofascore rating of 6.91 is a testament to his tenacity and all-encompassing approach to his game, and with 2.2 shots per match, his peppering output is certainly reminiscent to a former phenom in Liverpool red who took the nation by storm.

Chelsea are eyeing up a swoop for a Bundesliga defender in the January transfer window as Graham Potter looks to assert his authority on the squad.

What’s the news?

According to Sky Sports, the Blues are interested in signing Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Piero Hincapie during the upcoming transfer window in order to improve their defensive options.

The Mirror claimed last month that Stamford Bridge scouts had been watching the player during Ecuador’s World Cup campaign, featuring in all three matches in Qatar as the South American side were eliminated at the group stage.

His performances have obviously attracted attention, though, and with his contract not expiring until 2026, Chelsea might be required to splash the cash in order to lure him to London.

The CIES Football Observatory have valued the youngster at €60m (£52.2m), and Chelsea might need to spend even more to sign him.

Potter can unearth his next Koulibaly

The Blues signed Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli in the summer and he has impressed in his nine Premier League matches so far, averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.07/10 while making two tackles, 3.1 clearances and 1.3 interceptions per game, which shows that he has adapted quite well to English football.

Potter is looking to sign a defensive partner for the Senegal international, and Hincapie certainly fits the bill, especially when he is rated the third-most comparable player to the Chelsea star according to FBref’s similar player model.

Indeed, this season has seen the two players register similar statistics when it comes to tackles won (12 to 13, Koulibaly first), interceptions (12 to 11), aerial duels won (60.7% to 51.2%), and pass success rate (84.9% to 82.6%).

Hincapie appears to have all the required attributes to become one of the finest defenders in the world over the next few years, and he would surely learn a lot under Koulibaly’s tutelage.

The Ecuadorian was described as “colossal” by Víctor Hernández Molina, while he was also lauded for his “huge personality” by South American analytical site SudanAnalytics, and this high praise should further cement Potter’s need to sign the defender next month.

Chelsea have conceded 17 goals in 14 league matches this season, and if the 47-year-old is serious about claiming a top-four spot and Champions League football next term, then bringing a talent like Hincapie to London could be his ideal first signing.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta could dip into the market and snare a former academy prospect, bringing him back to the Emirates Stadium with a lucrative bid.

What’s the word?

90min are reporting that Valencia have initiated contract talks with their rising star Yunus Musah, who signed for the Spanish outfit in 2019, after departing from the Gunners academy. 

With Liverpool and Chelsea also emerging as potential suitors for the dynamic midfielder, Arteta will need to move swiftly if he is indeed to make his move for a player they have been tracking since 2019.

The report states that while Valencia would be open to sale, should they fail in their contractual offer, Musah’s release clause of €100m (£86m) could be a wall too insurmountable to overcome. 

Ramsey heir

Arsenal have gone from strength to strength across the past few seasons, and now top the Premier League table after 14 matches played, ahead of the formidable Manchester City by five points.

There is a desire to improve several departments of the team, however, with The Sun reporting earlier this season that Gunners owner Stan Kroenke will present the Spaniard Arteta with funds to target impactful additions, with the centre of the park and the wide flanks desired.

Musah played an integral role in the USA’s commendable World Cup campaign, where the side finished second in the group phase and lost in a thrilling round-of-16 encounter against the Netherlands.

As per Sofascore, the industrious midfielder recorded an 87% pass success rate in Qatar, making 2.0 tackles per match and aiding his team as the central focal point, linking the offensive and defensive departments with a refined presence that belies his tender age.

His tenacity in the centre offers shades of Aaron Ramsey, who starred for the Gunners, making 371 appearances for the London giants, scoring 65 goals and assists apiece and playing a vital role in securing three FA Cup trophies during his lengthy stay. 

Musah, who ranks within the top 7% for dribbles completed when compared to midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues this term, as per FBref, displays a clear aptitude for seeking out forward transitions and instigating positive plays. 

Much like Ramsey, there is a knack for implementing a forward-thinking mindset into the game, and Arsenal would certainly welcome this approach back to the Emirates, with the “connector” – as Gregg Berhalter calls him – raising the performance of all his teammates when he’s fit and firing. 

Having already plied his trade at Arsenal at youth level, the door remains open for a return, and despite the deal likely being rather expensive, Arsenal would boast a newfound presence of dogged ubiquity in the middle, who could help them continue to rise.