These stories are samples pulled from external media sources. They do not represent the views or position of Chelsea Football Club.

Mount shows signs of promise

TalkSport believe Mason can play an important role for Chelsea in the upcoming season after closely analysing the young midfielder’s performance in our 2-1 win over Barcelona on Tuesday.

The 20-year-old was given a rating of 6.5 out of 10 by the media outlet in its scouting report of the game, which noted how effective he was in a central attacking midfield role.

‘He linked particularly well with (Christian) Pulisic in the first half, with his mobility and ability to interchange causing the Barca defence a headache,’ stated the report.

‘In particular, his movement created space for Emerson Palmieri to drive forward in the first half and force Samuel Umtiti into a very uncomfortable clearance.

Mount also earned praise for his defensive work on the night.

‘What will have impressed Frank Lampard the most was the youngster’s work without the ball,’ the report added.

‘Starting against (Sergio) Busquets, Mount was tasked with stopping the Spain international from dictating the game.

‘The diligence and discipline displayed by the England Under-21 international will have delighted Lampard, who will have entrusted Mount with the job of keeping Barca’s most important player quiet before the game.’

The report concluded by stating: ‘Mount showed enough discipline and diligence to suggest he can play a vital role for Chelsea this season.

‘There are plenty of things for him to work on, but there are surely no better teachers than his idol in the Stamford Bridge hot-seat.

‘Do not be surprised if Lampard deploys him from a deeper position as well this season, Mount’s attacking runs from deep would be far more difficult to stop and it would benefit the 20-year-old to see more of the ball.’

Hudson-Odoi close to new Blues deal

Reports from several media organisations including the Guardian, the BBC and Sky Sports indicate Callum Hudson-Odoi is very close to agreeing a new long-term contract with Chelsea.

The 18-year-old made a huge impact with the Blues last season when he scored five goals in 24 appearances before he suffered a ruptured Achilles in late April which required surgery and caused him to miss the Europa League final victory against Arsenal.

The young winger’s form attracted interest from German giants Bayern Munich who reportedly made multiple bids to sign him, but he now appears to have followed fellow Academy products Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mason Mount in committing his future to Stamford Bridge.

‘Negotiations have continued over the past six months, with the crucial breakthrough and verbal agreement between Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia and Hudson-Odoi representatives reached in the last 48 hours,’ Sky Sports reported.

‘However, several aspects of the deal are not yet agreed, including which shirt number he will wear, and whether the deal is for four or five years.’

Chelsea make big jump in Forbes list

Chelsea have made a big jump in Forbes’ annual list of the world’s most valuable sports teams, moving up 14 places for 2019.

According to the publication, the Blues are currently valued at US$2.58 billion, a 25% increase from 2018, which has sent the club soaring from 46th to 32nd on the latest ranking, which includes teams from a number of sports including basketball, baseball and gridiron football.

In terms of football, Chelsea are the sixth most valuable club behind Real Madrid (3rd overall), Barcelona (4th), Manchester United (6th), Bayern Munich (17th) and Manchester City (25th), with Arsenal trailing us in 42nd place.

The Dallas Cowboys of the NFL top the list with a $5bn valuation with baseball’s New York Yankee in second place on $4.6bn.