Chelsea manager Graham Potter has revealed he is trying to convince Mason Mount to stay at Chelsea, but it is not up to him, describing the situation as 'complicated'.
The 24-year-old's contract is set to expire next summer, with reports suggesting that talks over a new deal have been halted until the end of the season.
News of the England international being available on the market has put a host of clubs on red alert, with Liverpool and Manchester United rumoured to be the frontrunners and willing to pounce if Mount does not decide to renew.
Chelsea are adamant that he will not leave on a free and are willing to sanction the sale of the midfielder at the right price, with a departure in 2024 potentially on the cards.
Potter admitted that his intention is for Mount to stay, but he has to do what is right for himself and his family.
"Ultimately it is between the club and Mason. I have spoken to him numerous times about his situation, football, life generally," Potter told reporters.
"Like I said, my feelings for Mason are clear. I think he is a fantastic person. Sometimes these things happen, they are just complicated, and it's best that I speak a little about it and let both parties get on with it.
"I'm not naive and I know it's an important time for him, it's an important contract and these things have to be right for him and his family.
"It's important he makes a decision on that basis"
A bloated squad has seen Mount relegated to the bench in recent weeks, perhaps fuelling his desire to pursue pastures new. The trio of signings in Joao Felix, Noni Madueke and Mykhailo Mudryk has seen Mount struggle to retain his place across the frontline, having to settle for cameo appearances off the bench.
When asked how to keep the Englishman happy, Potter replied:
"He's the same as everybody else; he wants to play. At the moment, he is suffering with a slight injury so he probably needs a little bit more time until he is available properly. He is happy around the place and wants to help the team. That is normal with Mason, no change in that. He wants to help and the team to win."
When asked how to keep others who have seen their game time reduced happy, Potter hailed the mentality of his squad, stating that everyone has a role to play, and his players have to be ready when called upon.
He said: "Well you just have to do the maths. Only 11 can play and we've got more than eleven, so inevitably, they're not going to be happy. There is no point in denying that. That isn't to say they've not been really professional and supportive of the team. There are always injuries and things that happen.
"You look at the situation with Marc Cucurella, for example. He wasn't in the squad but came in against Dortmund and played a really good game and contributed to us winning.
"The players know that they have to be ready. That is how football works. They have to be ready, keep fighting, and make sure when the chance comes they are ready to play."
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Weight lifted off the shoulders
With claims that Potter was on borrowed time, back-to-back wins, defeating Leeds and Borussia Dortmund have given the 47-year-old some added security around his job.
He admitted the wins helped to ease the pressure on him but vowed to not get carried away and to focus on the next game.
When asked if the victories helped to lift the weight off his shoulders, the manager replied:
"Yes, in some ways. It's not something I get too bogged down with. It's always nicer to win, everything feels a bit better, it feels like you have taken a step forward. But I am not getting carried away. It is just two wins. I have to focus on Leicester.
"The boys have been in a good place, a good spirit. They have stuck together through a bad time which is good. There is a lot to say about that but we have to start again against Leicester.
"I've said before the supporters have been really fair. They want the team to do well and results-wise we haven't done that well. So you understand the criticism and understand it's hard to get behind something when the results aren't great.
"So it's our job to produce games and results and I think the performance was a positive one. I think they've appreciated that and when that is the case, they get behind the time. I have nothing to say about how we've been treated by supporters. They've been fantastic."