Chelsea are eyeing AS Roma’s Lorenzo Pellegrini and Villarreal’s Yéremy Pino as contingency plans for Mason Mount as his contract talks continue to drag on, according to The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath.

The Lowdown: Mount’s contract

With the 23-year-old’s deal at Stamford Bridge expiring in the summer of 2024, the England international has entered the final 20 months of his Blues contract.

Whilst this may not appear to be a case of now-or-never for the west London club, talks over a contract extension started during the summer, but a deal is yet to be reached.

As a result, Chelsea have started to look at alternative attacking midfielders as potential contingency plans in case of a surprise exit for Mount.

The Latest: Chelsea looking at Pellegrini and Pino

According to a report by McGrath for The Telegraph (shared via Twitter), Chelsea have been eyeing Pellegrini and Pino as possible replacements for Mount, if an agreement is unable to be struck between player and club.

Pellegini is Jose Mourinho’s captain at Roma, and having been tied to a long-term deal with the Serie A club since signing new terms just over a year ago, it would take a sizeable fee for them to consider selling the 26-year-old.

On the other hand, Pino is just 19 years old but has already caught the attention of numerous Premier League clubs. Consequently, while he is under contract with Villarreal until 2027, the winger would command a £40m fee.

The Verdict: Mount is crucial

At just 23 years of age, Mount has already made 171 appearances in a Chelsea shirt, having contributed an impressive 30 goals and 34 assists.

As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year, the midfielder ranks in the 93rd percentile for assists and progressive passes received, the 90th percentile for pressures and the 88th percentile for tackles.

This hints at a player who likes to make his presence felt in the final third while also working diligently out of possession for the good of his team.

Having been hailed by former Blues ace Joe Cole as an ‘unbelievable’ player, it is clear to see just how valuable the England international is at Stamford Bridge.

Therefore, it is imperative that Chelsea tie him down to a new long-term deal, as otherwise they could lose out on his £67.5m market valuation.