Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount has revealed the hurdles he faced in moving through the club's ranks following his breakthrough campaign at Stamford Bridge, including the departure of former Blues youngster Declan Rice when the pair were just teenagers.
The 21-year-old has seen his stock take a meteoric rise over the past 12 months under Frank Lampard, having established himself as a regular first-team player and an England international.
Yet, in reflecting on the ups and downs of a campaign that saw the Blues come away empty-handed, Mount has spoken about his time in the club's youth team, where he played alongside close friend Rice before the latter was let go at the age of 14.