Former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole has hailed the impact of ex-teammate Frank Lampard in the Stamford Bridge hotseat – and has tipped one of his young stars from his brief Derby County spell to take their chance in the Blues’ first team next season.
20-year-old Mason Mount was an integral part of Lampard’s Derby side last season, scoring 11 times for the Rams as they made their way to the Championship play-off final in the new Chelsea boss’ first full season in management.
With the Blues calling Lampard back to Stamford Bridge following Maurizio Sarri’s departure to Juventus, Mount will once again be under his wing after returning to West London himself from his loan spell – and Cole believes the attacking midfielder will make the most of any first-team opportunities amid their transfer ban imposed by FIFA.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Cole said: “Mason Mount is a top player. He’s produced the goods on loan in Holland and in England.
“Every challenge he’s had, he’s met. For me, that’s a sign that a player is going to go places. Every time a question is asked of him, he performs.
“You’ve got to take your chance if you’re a young lad. You get the feeling if Mason gets the nod he will produce.”
Cole’s optimism over Mount is certainly justified – with his previous loan spell at Vitesse in the Eredivisie seeing the young midfielder notch 13 goals and 10 assists for the Dutch side – suggesting his more recent performances at Derby County are hardly a case of being a flash in the pan.
And his early showings in Chelsea’s warm-up games suggest he could be about to continue his good form under Lampard – with two goals in the Blues’ recent 4-3 win over Reading taking his pre-season tally to three.
Meanwhile, Mount could claim to be Chelsea’s main outlet in a central attacking-midfield role – which could lead to plenty of opportunities next season at Stamford Bridge that on previous evidence, suggests a profitable year ahead for him and his club.
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