How Mason Mount went from loan star to Chelsea regular on the verge of first England cap

When Mason Mount’s name was announced in the latest England squad few, if any, were surprised by his inclusion.

The gifted youngster has actually been called up to the Three Lions before, in October 2018, but now there is greater expectation, even more so than before.

Back then, he had no Premier League experience. A year on, he has started all three games for Chelsea in the 2019/20 campaign.

It is hugely deserved for Mount who has begun the season in excellent form with two goals in three matches, well taken finishes for both. He is starring under Frank Lampard but this, of course, is nothing new to those who have followed his journey, which will continue against Sheffield United live on talkSPORT 2.

In 2017/18, Mount enjoyed a successful loan spell with Eredivisie side Vitesse.

The following year would be spent at Derby under the watchful eye of his current boss.

“Frank was an example throughout my career at Chelsea, and throughout my career as a midfielder,” Mount told Goal.

“When it comes to scoring goals as a midfielder, you look at Frank Lampard as a role model.”

And Mount is clearly learning from the Blues legend, the late runs into the box, the emphatic end product against Leicester and Norwich had all the hallmarks of peak Lampard.

Upon getting the Chelsea job this summer, Lampard made it clear that youth would be the focal point to his philosophy, so far he has been true to his word.

Chelsea fielded their youngest squad in the Premier League in 25 years at Carrow Road last Saturday and Mount is very much spearheading the revolution.

“He can go absolutely to the top. I don’t want to heap expectation on him,” Lampard said of the 20-year-old.

“But I will tell him that every day because I feel it, and when someone’s humble and hard-working like him, it doesn’t matter.

“You can tell them because it will never stop his drive or his hunger.

“He’s not a boy that wants the razzmatazz of it all, he just wants to be a top player for Chelsea and then England and I believe he can be.

“He’s driven and not going to get carried away with himself. It’s the way his family have brought him up. A pleasure to work with.”

A prime example of Mount’s humbleness emerged recently when he picked up the tab at a restaurant for a small group of Chelsea youth team players.

According to the Daily Mail, he let the eatery know the bill was on him.

Mount joined Chelsea at the age of six, he was a Portsmouth fan, it was where he was born, but his focus has always been to breakthrough for the west London side.

“It feels a bit surreal, having been at the club for such a long time and now finally breaking into the first team,” he told the club website.

“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and now there are fans with my name on the back of their shirts!

“It’s crazy to process but my focus is to keep working hard day-in, day-out in training so I can play as many games as I can and prove to the manager that I’m ready.

“I’m loving every minute of it.”

And so too are Chelsea fans.

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