Mason Mount was so determined to make grade at Chelsea he ignored father’s concerns over lack of pathway

The attacking midfielder has played a central role under Frank Lampard

Chelsea attacker Mason Mount has spoken of when his childhood friend and current West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice was let go from the club—and says he could have followed suit.

For quite some time, the Stamford Bridge club failed to provide a regular pathway for their young players into the first team, leading some to depart for other sides.

But Mount says despite his father holding similar misgivings that he should consider opting out of a long-term struggle for senior action, he himself was always determined to make the grade.

“My dad always had questions because there weren’t many young players coming through,” he told the Times.

“JT [John Terry] was the only one who really came through and had an unbelievable career.

“I always believed that I would make it to the first team through hard work and determination and I didn’t let anybody get in the way of my focus, even my dad when he had questions.

“I said I [was] going to stay here and work as hard as I can. I [believed] totally that I [could] make it to the first team and then go all the way.”

Rice’s departure, however, had a profound impact on Mount—but he was always confident his friend would bounce back, with the Hammers star now an England international and linked with a move back to Chelsea.

“When Dec left it did affect me a lot at the time. But I knew what kind of player he was and what kind of person he was like, so I knew it wouldn’t stop him even if I didn’t agree with the way it happened.

“I knew as one of my closest friends that that wouldn’t be the end of him and he would work as hard as he could to get where he is.”