Former BBC pundit Noel Whelan has claimed that Liverpool signing Mason Mount would be an 'exciting move' and 'fantastic' for the Merseyside club's supporters.
The Lowdown: Monitoring the situation
As per The Guardian, both the Anfield outfit and Juventus are monitoring the 23-year-old's situation at Chelsea amid growing uncertainty over his future at Stamford Bridge.
Talks over a contract renewal have been put on hold until after the World Cup in Qatar, where he will be playing for England as part of Gareth Southgate's 26-man squad.
Mount's current deal ends in 2024, meaning that he will only have one year left if he lets it run until the summer.
The Latest: 'Exciting move'
Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan has claimed that signing Mount would be an 'exciting move' for Liverpool, even going as far as to claim that he is 'one of the best' midfielders in the country.
The 47-year-old said: “Mount has come through at Chelsea, he loves the club. I’m sure if he can get a deal done, he’ll stay in London and pledge his future to Chelsea.
“But if they can’t come to that agreement, it will be very strange. He’s a quality midfield player, one of the best we have in the country. He commands whatever wage he is asking for, as far as I’m concerned.
“It would be fantastic for Liverpool fans to see him there; I think even Man City would be glad to have his services. It would be an exciting move if it does come off, he’d fit in very well to that ageing midfield.
“Liverpool have got to freshen things up in that midfield, so they’ll be doing everything they can to try and tempt him away.”
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The Verdict: No-brainer
If a player of Mount's quality becomes available, it is surely a no-brainer for Jurgen Klopp and FSG to try and sign him for Liverpool.
He has been very consistent at the highest level in the Premier League, with double figures in goal contributions in each of the last three seasons, including an impressive 21 last term (Transfermarkt).
In Europe's top five leagues over the past year, Mount ranks in the 88th percentile for tackles, 85th percentile for progressive passes received and 83rd percentile for assists among his positional peers (FBRef), which suggests that he is not only one of the best midfielders in England, but in Europe as well.
Also, he is still only 23 years of age, and the fact that he is an England international would be an added bonus for the Reds in terms of filling homegrown quotas, along with having a member of the Three Lions playing for them week in, week out.