Mason Mount targets Chelsea chance as Vitesse loan marks him out as one of England’s brightest young hopes
Chelsea youngster has been a revelation in Holland this season and he believes Andreas Christensen has paved the way for him to become the first English talent since John Terry to come through the ranks and establish himself at Stamford Bridge
MASON MOUNT insists he can make his mark at Chelsea and become the club's first home-grown English star since John Terry nearly two decades ago.
Mount, 19, has gone almost unnoticed at home as the likes of Phil Foden and Jadon Sanchez grabbed the limelight as players for the future after they helped England win the under-17 World Cup.
But the highly-rated Chelsea teenager is making such an impression in Holland the rest of Europe is already starting to sit up and take notice.
The club’s belief in the midfielder is so high they sent him out on loan to Vitesse Arnhem last summer aged just 18.
The youngster from Portsmouth has wasted little time stamping his class on the side, even breaking a Europa League record for his eye-catching display against Lazio in the Olympic Stadium.
It has been quite a six months since being named the best player at the European under-19 Championships as he helped England to victory last summer.
Mount was named young player of the month for January, and is convinced his loan stay in the Dutch League is the right way to go about fulfilling his ultimate goal, following Andreas Christensen from academy to first team regular at Stamford Bridge.
And if he can do so, he will become the first English home-grown player to make his mark at Chelsea since John Terry 18 years ago.
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Mount said: “Andreas going out for two years, and now coming back and playing regularly, he has shown what you can do.
“He has shown if you go out on loan and perform to the best of your ability you always have that chance at Chelsea.
“Looking at Andreas going away for two years and to then come back and be playing, I definitely aspire to be similar to that.
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“You have to be the best to succeed at Chelsea, and he’s gone out and shown that the loan does work.
“You have to go out, be by yourself, there is no-one to help you. You have got to just fight.
"He’s come back and he’s fought for his position, and he’s done very well.
“I had the option to come here or stay at Chelsea and play under-23s for another season.
“I was quite young to come on loan to another country, but this has definitely been a massive experience for me, I have learnt so much. This is men’s football, you learn something every day.
“But playing for Chelsea, that’s the main goal. I want to play as high up as I can.”
Mount’s involvement with England under-19s last summer, when he scooped the tournament’s Golden Player award, meant he joined up late with Vitesse.
He had to bide his time waiting for his opportunity, but from November onwards he has established himself to such an extent he was named Eredivisie player of the month in January.
In that time came the storming display against Lazio in the cauldron of Rome’s Olympic Stadium as Mount created more chances in the game than any teenager in Europa League history.
He said: “I saw that stat - I think it was eight chances created.
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“It was a game where I just tried to express myself and show on the big stage what I can produce. We actually drew the game and if we took more chances we could have won it.
“Playing against a top, top team like that was just an unbelievable experience moving forward.
“Any manager, for an 18-year-old boy joining a team, you have to gain that manager’s trust. When I joined I hadn’t played a senior game in my career, so you have to show him a lot in a short space of time.
“You have to gain his trust and it’s hard at the start, but when you get that chance you have to take it. It’s like in life, you have to take your chance.”
Mount, who turned 19 last month, is a prospect who has thought through his development in the same impressive way he has started his career.
He knows the is a growing clamour among Chelsea fans for him to be given his chance next season, and that the FA have marked him out as one of their best hopes for future international honours.
Mount added: “To get ready for going out on loan to another country, I started staying in my own place in Cobham, learning how to look after myself in a flat.
Mason Mount - the bright young hope of English football
Represented England at every age group from under-16 to under 19 scoring 9 goals in 31 appearances.
Created winning goal to help England win under-19 European Championship last summer.
Named Golden Player of the European under-19 Championship.
Captained Chelsea to the FA Youth Cup last season with victory over Manchester City in the final.
Named Chelsea Academy player of the year for 2017
Set a Europa League record for most chances created by a teenager during 1-1 draw against Lazio in Rome.
Named Eredivisie Talent of the month for January
“I knew this opportunity might arise so that helped just getting ready for it, and that has helped a lot as now I’m here on my own and obviously you need to be able to look after yourself.
“This is men’s football so you need to grow up very quickly.
"That last year at Chelsea definitely got me ready so I knew what to expect.
“It all starts as a young boy at Chelsea, they set you up for everything. It’s been the best decision I have made from a young age, you learn the most and it has set me up perfectly.
“You always have that expectation of having to deliver coming through at Chelsea, all the spotlight is on you when you are winning things.
“It’s something you have on your back from a young age, to be fair I don’t really look at all that – I just try to focus on playing football, playing my best every game.
“Having that in your mind, it might sway your concentration so you can’t let it come in to your thinking.
“My focus is just on finishing the season as well as I can at Vitesse and then see what happens. You don’t know what is going to happen in the future in this game.”