Mason Mount wants to be Chelsea’s leader after getting taste of captaincy

Mason Mount is still only 23-years-old but, but after being given the captain’s armband in the second half against Charlotte, he wants to keep grabbing those chances at Chelsea.

The academy graduate has taken the armband on several occasions in west London but his recent outing wearing it carries more weight.

Current captain Cesar Azpilicueta could leave Chelsea for Barcelona this summer.

With Jorginho, N’Golo Kante and Marcos Alonso also vying for the armband but only having one year left on their current deals - Mount may be next in Thomas Tuchel’s leadership thoughts.

“Yes, I am still young and I am still learning but whenever the opportunity comes to step up I want to take it,” Mount told reporters after his side’s 1-1 draw in the Bank of America Stadium.

“Obviously, the gaffer trusted me with captaining the side in the second half and I take that responsibility. Whether we win, whether we lose I always want to be the won to be able to take it.

“To take it on the chin if we win and obviously if we lose as well. “

The England international is a constant example to his teammates in west London - always stepping up for media or commercial duties when others are reluctant.

It’s also understood that over half of the domestic named Chelsea shirt sales in the UK feature Mount’s surname and number 19. However, for all his prominence, he prefers to lead by example rather than bark orders.

“I’m naturally not the most vocal,” he added. “I’ve never really been that. When I was captain of the Under-18 FA Youth Cup side I was always someone who tried to lead by example on the pitch.

“But you have to bring that as well and that’s something I am constantly trying to learn from the likes of Azpi and Jorgi who have been captains of this club. Just trying to learn from them and trying to add that to my game.

“Even if you are not someone who leads with the ball and leads on the pitch you have to have that other side as well.”

Leading by example is something that he and all the academy graduates from Cobham are trained to do.

Mount and those like Callum Hudson-Odoi and Reece James are often seen down at youth games and providing that link between age groups.

“We want to be role models to the players that are under-six, under-seven, under-eights, that are coming through looking up to us and what we’ve done over the last couple of years,” he concluded.

“So we just have to keep setting a good example and keep working hard because we are still young and we all still have loads more to achieve. That’s our goal and that’s our pathway at the moment.”