Mount backed to make top Spanish grade

Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount will play for either Barcelona or Real Madrid during his career, according to former team-mate Mitchell van Bergen. Mount has enjoyed a superb start to the 2019/20 Premier League campaign, scoring four goals from nine Premier League appearances to help Chelsea climb to fourth in the table, two points behind second-place Manchester City and a further six adrift of table-toppers Liverpool.
The 20-year-old has also made the step-up to England’s senior side this season, having previously represented his country from Under-16 to Under-21 level, earning four caps for Gareth Southgate’s side, which have all been Euro 2020 qualifiers.
It is a remarkable rise for the midfielder, who spent the 2018/19 campaign on loan at Derby County, who, at the time, were under the guidance of Frank Lampard. The latter is now in charge of the Blues and he has put his faith in youth this term.
Mount, Tammy Abraham, who has scored eight league goals to top the scoring charts alongside City ace Sergio Aguero, Reece James and Fikayo Tomori have all been promoted to the first team and the quartet have grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
Although still early in Mount’s career, Heerenveen winger Van Bergen, who played alongside the Englishman for a season when he was on loan at Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem for the 2017/18 campaign, has tipped the Chelsea maestro to play for either Barca or Real.
He told NOS: “Mason is going to reach the absolute top. In the Premier League he will be a complete player and I see him eventually ending up at Barcelona or Real Madrid. I think he will fit there.”
Madrid have made big-money acquisitions from the Premier League before, having spent a then world-record £77million to sign Gareth Bale from Tottenham Hotspur in September 2013.
Zinedine Zidane is eager to bring in new talent and he could be tempted into signing Mount when the summer transfer window comes around again.
As for Barcelona, they are said to be looking for a long-term replacement for Luis Suarez, although Mount is unlikely to be the man to fill the Uruguayan’s boots.