Potter could boldly ditch Mount with £22m Chelsea swoop for “exciting” teen machine - opinion

Chelsea have retained an interest in budding Russian talent Arsen Zakharyan and could look to issue a concrete transfer move this summer for a player who was previously missed in a transfer swoop…

What’s the latest on Chelsea’s interest in Arsen Zakharyan?

Last summer, Chelsea agreed to a £12.6m deal for the teenage prodigy, according to the Evening Standard, but due to unforeseen sanctions imposed on Russia and their athletes due to the invasion of Ukraine, the deal dropped by the wayside.

However, as now revealed by transfer guru Fabrizio Romano via his CaughtOffside column, Blues owner Todd Boehly ‘remains interested’ in signing the gem, who is expected to depart from Dinamo Moscow in the summer.

Previously speaking to Sport24, Zakharyan said:

“I immediately discovered that I wanted to go.

“I do not dismiss the option of returning [to Dynamo] on loan but at least I would try myself [at Chelsea], then I’ll be back. Maybe it would be possible to start playing there right away.”

Dinamo will now only accept bids of at least €25m (£22m) for the precocious starlet, but given Boehly’s expenditure in excess of £550m since his arrival last year, a move certainly could be forthcoming as the script continues to be rewritten in west London.

Should Potter ditch Mason Mount for Zakharyan?

If Chelsea were to forge ahead with a move for a player that has already been scouted extensively, it might be that the board forgo the option of a loan, and instead look for manager Graham Potter to integrate the Russian sensation into the fold immediately.

And given the contractual uncertainty surrounding Mason Mount’s position at the heart of the Stamford Bridge-based team, the cogs might fall kindly for Zakharyan, who has been steadily growing into his skin in his homeland.

Indeed, Champions League winner Mount is reportedly desired by the likes of Liverpool ahead of the expiry of his contract at the end of next season, with Chelsea set to cash in this summer if a resolution is not clinched.

Much like the 24-year-old English ace, Zakharyan thrives among a melange of positions in-and-around the centre of the midfield, and it is this dynamic scope that could tantalise Chelsea into making a move.

As per Sofascore, the six-cap Russian has recorded an exemplary average Premier Liga rating of 7.33 this term, scoring two goals and serving five assists, making 2.7 key passes per match and averaging 1.3 shots – illustrating his offensive skill set that appears tailor-made to take the baton from Mount, should he indeed depart from his boyhood club.

And with Mount scoring 33 goals and supplying 37 assists for the Blues, averaging 1.8 shots and 0.9 key passes per match, as per WhoScored, the hype surrounding the robust Zakharyan, hailed for his “exciting potential” by Ben Bocsak, is only heightened, given the striking similarities in potency.

Ditching Mount for a relatively untested commodity in Zakharyan would be a bold move from Potter indeed, but every indication that Boehly offers thus far during his reign over Chelsea suggests he is a bold man who will pull no punches in pursuing a deal that is believed to enhance the squad.

And if Mount does leave, no better option than the 19-year-old machine, who can be nurtured and developed into a devastating midfield force, and stands ready at an affordable price at present.

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