Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount has turned into a controversial subject amongst the Blues fanbase, and his recent appearance at a UFC event in London looks to have further stirred the pot.
The 24-year-old was a fan-favorite until last season, but poor form coupled with doubts surrounding his future have seen the England International lose favor with a section of Chelsea fans.
A Cobham graduate, Mount successfully made the leap to the first team under Frank Lampard, before going on to cement his spot in the Blues’ first XI.
The midfielder flourished under Thomas Tuchel and turned into an integral cog of the side that lifted the Champions League during the 2020/21 season.
He deservedly won the Chelsea Player of the Year honor that year, before repeating the feat the very next season.
As mentioned earlier, Mount was adored by a majority of the fanbase, with some even viewing him as the Club’s future captain.
But such suggestions have lessened over the past few months, owing to a stark drop in the Englishman’s form.
Speculation surrounding his future at the club hasn’t helped either, as presently, Mount appears to be closer to a move away than remaining at the club.
Matters have worsened to such a degree that discourse around the midfielder can often get toxic, and a recent example of this came through his most recent public appearance.
A couple of days ago, the O2 Arena in London played host to UFC 286, an MMA event produced by Ultimate Fighting Championship.
The event card included the highly awaited clash between Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman for the Welterweight title.
Naturally, the event attracted plenty of star names to the venue, including the man in discussion Mason Mount. The midfielder was captured spectating the fight alongside other popular figures such as KSI.
While this may seem like a person simply enjoying their leisure time to many, a section of Chelsea fans were rubbed the wrong way by his presence at the event.
Mount has been sidelined with an injury for the past few match days including the game against Everton. Yet, fans stuck by their stance and demanded the midfielder’s presence regardless of the fact.
Needless to say, the entire ‘controversy’ comes off as a targeted and petty attempt to defame the player.
This became obvious after the presence of his teammate Wesley Fofana at the event was confirmed, yet, the defender faced no backlash.
The 24-year-old’s current deal is all set to expire next season, and reputable sources have stated that contract negotiations remain at a dead-end.
While reasons for this remain unconfirmed, these sources have suggested that the halt is due to a few demands on Mount’s part, particularly surrounding the reported contract length of 6+ years.
To further fuel the speculation, League rivals Liverpool are said to be interested in signing the midfielder. And if there are no advancements in the negotiations, this outcome appears likely.
