Graham Potter has another difficult decision to make with Cesar Azpilicueta and Thiago Silva both set to leave Chelsea in 18 months or so
Boehly disagrees with Lampard and Terry on next Chelsea captain decision (Image: Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Todd Boehly appears to disagree with Frank Lampard and John Terry on who should succeed Cesar Azpilicueta as Chelsea captain. The 33-year-old faces an increasingly uncertain future at Stamford Bridge with his contract set to expire at the end of next season.
Despite having entered the final 18 months of his deal, Azpilicueta looks set to become Graham Potter’s third-choice right-back once Malo Gusto returns from Lyon in the summer. The 19-year-old is on loan at the French outfit after signing for the Blues last month in a deal around £26million, plus add-ons.
He is expected to deputise for Reece James, who has suffered a number of injuries which have left Chelsea thin at the back this season. And the England international could even be set to inherit the captain’s armband from Azpilicueta – a decision which Lampard and Terry have already given their verdict on.
According to The Telegraph, James is being ‘groomed’ for a leadership position at Stamford Bridge, with the defender seen as a potential captain. The report states that he will be considered for the captaincy and the vice-captaincy roles when the need for a decision arises.
Azpilicueta has been heavily linked with a return to La Liga in recent years. Meanwhile, Thiago Silva, who is vice-captain, has recently penned a one-year extension so, in the event that the Spaniard leaves, he’ll likely step up.
However, both Lampard and Terry believe that Mount could be the heir to Azpilicueta, and Silva’s, captaincy throne. Speaking to The Telegraph in 2021, former Chelsea midfielder Lampard said: “I definitely made him captain that day [against Luton] because I’ve seen his leadership qualities develop, particularly this season.
“His form was developing this season, he’s Chelsea Player of the Year and rightly so because his individual performances have been immense particularly for someone of his age. But I saw his leadership skills in his personality developing this season and I’ve always seen it in Mason because there’s a sternness about Mason, there’s a toughness about him.
“He’s a great lad, not always the most vocal but this year he’s starting to be a bit more vocal and he started just to ooze those qualities,” Lampard added. “So I made him captain for that and I saw him as a future Chelsea captain. That’s obviously other people’s decisions now.”
When asked about Azpilicueta’s reign as captain and his potential successor, Terry told Alison Bender TV: “He [Azpilicueta] has been superb and as you said, there are many ways to skin a cat. He does it differently.
“His performances first and foremost have to speak for themselves, and they certainly do that. When you’re captain it’s important that you are a consistent performer, week in and week out.
“You give a solid seven or eight out of 10 every week. He does that for the group. And again, he is that example for everyone else to follow. I love what he does but I think the progression from that would probably lead itself to Mason for me.
“I think Mason has got the ability to go on and I think he’s capable of grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck if we need to. The Chelsea fans relate to him. He is Chelsea through and through. His family are as well. I would personally love to see Mason take it.”
It remains to be seen who will succeed Azpilicueta, and Silva, as captain and vice-captain at Chelsea but James looks better placed to don the armband with Mount yet to pen a contract extension.
