Mount is in running to be ‘Golden Boy’… Carabao draw
MASON MOUNT has been named among 100 nominees for the prestigious Golden Boy award.
The former Purbrook Park pupil, who is currently on Chelsea’s books, has made the extended shortlist after impressing for Derby in the 2018-19 Championship.
Each year, Italian newspaper Tuttosport names the best footballer in Europe under the age of 21 as their ‘Golden Boy’.
Previous winners include Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Wayne Rooney, Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe, with Ajax’s Matthijs de Ligt claiming the award last season.
Voters from the European press will be decide who will succeed the highly-rated Dutch international, with the result to be made in September.
Mount – a former Pompey junior and Fratton Park season-ticket holder – has yet to break into the first team at Stamford Bridge.
However, his reputation has been growing following successful loan spells at Vitesse Arnhem in the Dutch Eredivisie and Derby over
the past two seasons. The 20-year-old’s spell at the GelreDome saw him score 14 goals in 28 appearances.
Meanwhile, Mount was part of the Rams side led by former Chelsea legend Frank Lampard that was beaten in the Championship play-off final by Aston Villa at Wembley.
He made 44 appearances and scored 11 goals during his time at Pride Park.
His fine form saw him called up to Gareth Southgate’s senior England squad.
The midfielder has since returned to parent club Chelsea and is currently part of the England squad in Italy for the under-21 European Championships.
The young Three Lions take on France in group C today before facing Romania on Friday and Croatia on Monday.
Mount is joined on the Golden Boy list by Joao Felix (Benfica), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Gianluigi Donnarumma (AC Milan), Moise Kean (Juventus), Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Chelsea teammate Callum Hudson-Odoi and Nicolo Zaniolo (Roma).
Rooney and Raheem Sterling are the only two Englishman to have won the award.
■ Pompey will learn their Carabao Cup opposition on Thursday night (7pm) – the same day their League One fixtures are unveiled (9am).
The draw will be regionalised into southern and northern sections, with games played in the week commencing August 12.
Pompey suffered a 2-1 first-round home defeat to AFC Wimbledon last season.