Lampard admits he is powerless to influence Mount's Chelsea future

‘The bigger picture will be clearer in the next weeks and months’: Frank Lampard admits he is powerless to influence Mason Mount’s future at Chelsea but wants the England star to STAY amid Liverpool interest

• Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has given an update on their squad availability 
• He confirmed that England duo Mason Mount and Reece James are ruled out
• The Blues take on Brentford on Wednesday, with Lampard searching for a win

Frank Lampard says Mason Mount and Reece James are likely to miss the remainder of the campaign, raising the possibility Mount may have played his last game for the club.

Mount’s future is in doubt as he enters the final year of his contract with Liverpool leading the race and Manchester United and Newcastle also interested.

Renewal talks have not gone well so far but co-owner Todd Boehly re-iterated his desire to keep the midfielder, 24, last week.

Lampard admits he is powerless to influence the contract negotiations in his role as caretaker manager, and having handed Mount his Chelsea debut and made him the clubs’s youngest captain since John Terry in 2021, says he can only watch on during the discussions between the two parties.

‘At this point, it’s not my opinion that will be the resolution,’ he said. ‘It will be the opinion of the club and the opinion of Mason, so that’s between them.

Mason Mount (L) and Reece James (R) are likely to miss the remainder of the season 

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard admitted he is powerless to influence contract negotiations between the club and Mason Mount whose future at Stamford Bridge is currently uncertain

‘I think my opinion’s pretty clear, I don’t need to spell it out what I think of Mason as a player.

‘There’s no doubt Mason is a top-class player through what he brings to the team in and out of possession.

‘We could have done with him in the games we’ve played already this season. But the bigger picture is something that’s going to become clearer in the next weeks and months, and that will be the club and Mason together having conversations.’

A pelvic injury has left Mount out for four weeks and will need minor surgery on a painful, niggling issue. Chelsea will also be without Reece James until the end of the season, while Kai Havertz is out with a knee issue for the upcoming match at Stamford Bridge against Brentford.

After missing more than half of his club games this season, Lampard tried to reassure supporters about his recent run of injuries, adding: ‘I don’t think it is a [longer-term] problem.

Lampard has formed a close relationship with Mount from stints at both Chelsea and Derby

‘I just think with this season, you see periods, and it might be because you really understand what Reece gives this team both defensively and offensively, that your eyes are drawn when he is not there.

‘We want to get him as fit as he can be because he is a top player.’

It’s a particular blow for Lampard who believes that he can become one of the world’s best players.

He concluded: ‘At the moment, I see him as one of the best full-backs around for sure – and I am talking about world football – and that is at such a young age. There is a big ceiling there for him.’

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