Derby County have secured the signing of Chelsea youngster Mason Mount on a season-long loan, the club have confirmed, as new manager Frank Lampard prepares for his first job in management. The former Blues midfielder was appointed as Rams boss earlier this summer following the departure of Gary Rowett for Stoke and has made the most of his links to his former club already.
Chelsea U23s head coach Jody Morris has joined the ex-England international’s backroom staff following a hugely successful period in charge of the London outfit’s academy and his experience working with youngsters is something that Lampard is understandably keen to exploit. Mount is the first new arrival at Pride Park and joins following a superb season out on loan at Vitesse in the Eredivisie, drawing comparisons to his new boss for his ability to pick up goalscoring positions from midfield.
The 19-year-old helped to fire the Dutch side to the Europa League last season via the play-offs, enjoying a remarkable end to the campaign and earning the chance to train with the England senior squad ahead of the World Cup as a result. The teenager finished the season – including the play-offs – with 14 goals and nine assists, with seven and six of those respective tallies coming in his final seven appearances in the Netherlands.
Translating those sort of figures to the Championship won’t be straightforward, that’s for sure, as former Vitesse loanee Lewis Baker’s struggles proved last season at Middlesbrough. However, in Mount Derby have undoubtedly secured the services of one of England’s most exciting young talents.