Mason Mount 'rejected' a new Chelsea contract worth over £200,000-a-week before he left for the World Cup.
That's according to The Daily Mail, who claim the player's representatives are believed to be seeking a contract worth £300,000-a-week.
The 23-year-old is hoping to match Raheem Sterling's £300,000-a-week deal, with the 27-year-old penning a lucrative deal following his summer move from Manchester City.
Per the report, Chelsea have agreed to put negotiations on hold for the duration of the World Cup, but a breakthrough appears unlikely as both parties remain a long way apart.
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The Stamford Bridge club had hoped to strike a deal quickly, having tied down Reece James to a new contract that made him the 'highest-paid defender' in the club's history.
Mount, who has just 18 months left to run on his current deal, currently earns £85,000-a-week and is thought to be attracting interest from Liverpool and Juventus.
It could be a calculated gamble for Mount if he enjoys a successful tournament, but he failed to impress against USA as the Three Lions drew 0-0.
The Chelsea midfielder started ahead of Phil Foden in a decision that didn't go down well with fans on social media.
Paul Parker has urged Southgate to play Foden over Mount ahead of England's clash against Wales next Tuesday.
"I wouldn’t play Mason Mount as the attacking midfielder, because he is not really attacking," he said.
"I would definitely play with Phil Foden as the attacking midfielder for England.
"Phil Foden plays for Pep Guardiola, which means he isn’t lazy. If you want to have a midfielder that can create chances and score goals, Foden is the one you should go with.
"He is really the attacking midfielder for the future for England and he is the only England player that could play for every single top team in Europe and fit well in."
Topics: Chelsea, Mason Mount, Football World Cup, Football
Nasir Jabbar