Gus Poyet: 'Chelsea suffered without Mount so I’m disappointed he’s leaving'

Former Chelsea midfielder Gus Poyet has expressed his disappointment at Mason Mount's decision to leave Stamford Bridge and join rivals Manchester United. 

Mount spent 18 years at Chelsea, since joining the youth academy as a youngster, and grew into a crucial player for the side since making his first-team debut in 2019. The young England midfielder made more than 170 appearances for the Blues in four seasons, helping the side to the Champions League title in 2021. 

So the 24 year old's decision to join Manchester United, in a deal worth around €60 million, has left fans hurt. Poyet admits to being confused at why Mount was left out of the team last season.

“The problem I have is that I like Mason a lot," Poyet tells 888 Sport. "I thought when he was at his best, Chelsea were performing at their highest level, then when he wasn’t playing or when he was out of form, Chelsea were suffering. People didn’t see that – they only looked at individuals and not how the team played, but when he was playing in his best position near the number 9 and having the freedom to create, Chelsea were scoring goals and creating chances.

“I don’t know why he suddenly disappeared from the starting XI, because he was on the bench all the time. People were saying he wasn’t fully fit, but if you’re not fully fit, you’re not on the bench every game! Most of the time he was on the bench and not playing, both under Graham Potter and Frank Lampard as well, it was frustrating to watch."

Not only has Mount's departure left Poyet feeling frustrated, but his decision to join a direct rival has made matters even more unbearable. 

“Those kinds of situations, where it’s not clear what’s going on, doesn’t help anyone – it doesn’t help the player, the team, and especially not the coach, because he doesn’t know how much he can count on the player," says Poyet. "I’m disappointed that Mason is leaving, and when it’s to a club like Manchester United who are fighting with you [for similar league places], it’s even worse.”

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Chelsea transfer news is also starting to gather pace. 

The Blues have been linked with Sadio Mane, along with Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar, in a bid to improve their squad, while Manuel Ugarte appears to be PSG-bound. Kylian Mbappe could be on the cards, too, while Andre Onana is still on the radar.