How ‘secret agent’ Mount lured Sterling
MASON MOUNT revealed that he acted as an undercover agent in Chelsea’s pursuit of Raheem Sterling. The playmaker said he spoke to his England team-mate, who arrived at Stamford Bridge this month in a £47.5million deal, to encourage him to move from Manchester City.
‘I spoke to him a little bit when we were away on international duty,’ said Mount, 23.
‘He didn’t have a clue what was going on. He just said there was interest there and I was obviously saying, “We’d love to have you at the club”.’
With mission accomplished, Mount played alongside his new team-mate for the first time on Wednesday night.
‘I know what he is like as a person and as a player,’ he said. ‘I’ve played with him for the last couple of years with England and he’s a top, top guy with a lot left to go and a lot more winning to do so it’s brilliant to have him.’ When asked if he was surprised that City let Sterling go to a rival, Mount was guarded.
‘I don’t really think about all that kind of stuff,’ he said. ‘We are just adding another world class, top player to our team. He has been brilliant for them for however many years and he has won so much, so for us to get him, we are lucky. He is going to do everything he can to be at the top of his level to win stuff with us. We are a team with a lot of ambition and a lot of will to win.’ Boyhood Chelsea fan Mount, who has come through the ranks at the club, took the captain’s armband for the second half of what was a disappointing penalty shootout defeat by MLS side Charlotte FC.
And he did not rule out fulfilling the captaincy role in future.
‘I am still young and I am still learning but whenever the opportunity comes to step up I want to take it,’ he said. Mount is not the most talkative skipper, but believes he can excel. ‘I’m naturally not the most vocal,’ he said. ‘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 off the likes of Azpi (Cesar Azpilicueta) and Jorgi (Jorginho) who have been captains of this club. ‘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.’