Chelsea defender Ben Chilwell has heaped praise on Mason Mount ahead of the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final tie against Porto tonight.
Mount has been in impressive form during the back end of the current campaign, and he has particularly excelled after Thomas Tuchel took charge as the manager in January.
Over the course of the season, he has eight goals and seven assists to his name. He has made a scoring contribution in each of his last three matches (two goals and one assist).
Speaking in yesterday’s press conference, Chilwell talked up the progress made by Mount this term and believes he will be a great player for club and country.
He told Chelseafc.com: “Before I came here, me and Mase were close through the England set-up, but that was only in training and playing with him a few times a season.”
“Now, training with him every day, I see how good he really is. It’s not just his natural ability, but the fact he works very hard.
“He is very keen to learn all the time, and he is always doing extra work in the gym. He does everything he can to better himself.
“With the natural talent he has, his work rate – the sky is the limit for him. Since I’ve come in until now, he has improved so much.
“If he keeps on doing what he is doing, scoring, assisting, staying humble, working hard, then he will be a great player for Chelsea and England for a long time.”
Sportslens view:
Mount had received criticism from some fans earlier this season for his inability to convert his chances in the final third of the pitch.
However, he has made a vast improvement in recent weeks, finding the back of the net on seven occasions.
He was an almost undisputed starter under former boss Frank Lampard and is now regarded as a key part of Tuchel’s plans.
The midfielder will be aiming to keep his fine form going as the Blues look to make the top four in the league and compete for silverware.
The club have a fantastic chance to reach the last four of the Champions League after their 2-0 win over Porto in the first leg of the quarter-final.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
Read: Chelsea could offer West Ham United a choice of three players to sign this midfielder.