Chelsea legend John Terry has named the player he thinks should take over the captaincy at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues could say goodbye to long-serving skipper Cesar Azpilicueta this summer, with the Spaniard out of contract.
Chelsea do have an automatic renewal option in Azpilicueta’s contract, but they are unable to activate it due to government sanctions.
Beyond that, they are likely to take the defender’s wishes into consideration given what he has given to the club.
If Azpilicueta does leave, Chelsea will have to find a new captain, and according to club legend Terry, who epitomised the captaincy role during his time at the club, there is only one man for the job.
“When you’re captain, it’s important that you’re a consistent performer week in week out,” he told Stadium Astro.
“When you play, you give a solid seven or eight out of ten every week. Azpi does that for the group and he’s that example for everyone else to follow.
“I love what he does but I think the progression from that, when he does decide to go, leads itself to Mase (Mason Mount) for me.
“I think Mase has got the ability to go on and grab the game by the scruff of its neck. The Chelsea fans relate to him, he’s Chelsea through and through – his family are as well. And I would love to see it.”
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Mount came through the Chelsea academy and is a reference point for Blues fans, as Terry alludes to.
And that’s not just because of his background, with the midfielder having developed into a superb player.
It will be interesting to see how the Azpilicueta – and in turn the captaincy situation – develops over the coming months.