Chelsea transfer news: The Blues appear to have made a sly dig with their response to Reece James’ Arsenal message as Manchester United reached an agreement on a deal with Mason Mount
Reece James has sent Arsenal a firm transfer message.
It’s all kicking off at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea’s transfer exodus continues in full force with the now inevitable departure of Mason Mount to Manchester United. The two clubs have come to an agreement over a price after three rejected bids were lodged in the past month.
At £60million in total, Chelsea are closer to their £70million valuation than the Red Devils, who first sought to pick the 24-year-old up for cheap. Now, with just two days until Mauricio Pochettino starts work officially, a fifth player is set to move on from SW6.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek is also likely to follow the exits of N’Golo Kante, Kalidou Koulibaly, Kai Havertz and Mateo Kovacic. It is Mount that has caused the biggest stir online, though.
After months of back and forth with contract offers, U-turns and twists, the two-time player of the season is on his way out of the club he joined 18 years ago. It has wrinkled with some, especially due to the nature of negotiations over a new deal which have been complex to follow and tough to follow.
Even Havertz, who moved to Arsenal officially on Wednesday, did not anger fans as much due to his inconsistent performances and status as a previous purchase. Mount, however, has come through the academy and lifted the Champions League as a key player. The failure to not only tie him down from the club standpoint but also for him not to commit to Chelsea, has made it an emotional transaction.
Reece James took a shot towards an Arsenal fan on Twitter who wrote: “Reece James to Arsenal who says no?” The fullback typed back: “I say no.”
The club now appear to have taken a sly dig at Mount. On social media they responded to Reece James’ own message with the simple quote: “One of our own.”
Unlike Mount, James ended speculation of an exit from Chelsea last summer when he signed a new long-term contract. At the time, with Armando Broja and Trevoh Chalobah also penning mammoth deals with the club, Mount was expected to follow soon after but such an agreement never came.
With disagreements over contract length being mixed with the continued mass changes from top to bottom, directorial switches, injuries and his worst patch of form since his senior debut, it rumbled on until it was too late. He is now all but certain to be sold 12 months before his deal ends.
Even though Chelsea’s post may well be entirely related to James, it is hard to ignore that the one of their own comment comes at a time by which an homegrown player is set to depart and one is cementing his colours to the mast.
Soucre: football.london
