Chelsea have put talks with Mason Mount over a new deal on hold until the end of the season.
The club are in a dismal run of form and the pressure is building on Graham Potter after Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Southampton.
Though the club insist they still back the former Brighton manager, they languish in 10th position with 15 matches remaining in the Premier League campaign.
The club are therefore focused on resurrecting their season and initial talks with Mount’s representatives are not expected to be continued until the end of the campaign.
Mount is under contract for another 17 months but he’ll have just a year left by the end of the season.
The Athletic say Chelsea will then decide whether they want to push to keep Mount or decide to sell him in the summer transfer window.
Liverpool have expressed an interest in Mount, who joined Chelsea’s academy at the age of six.
Mount’s netted 33 goals in close to 200 games for his boyhood club but he rejected the Blues’ last contract proposal.
Chelsea have spent £600m in two transfer windows under Todd Boehly and they understand the need to balance the books.
Mount could fetch around £40m next summer, given he would have 12 months remaining on his deal.
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