Chelsea midfielder Mount: Tough for me when Rice left | OneFootball

Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount admits it was tough for him after West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice was let go by the club.

The pair have remained close friends since Rice left the Blues at the age of 14, even lining up together for England last year.

The Blues have been linked with signing Rice this summer and Mount would certainly be in favour of such a move.

"When Dec left it did affect me a lot at the time," he told the Sunday Times. "But I knew what kind of player he was and what kind of person he was like, so I knew it wouldn't stop him even if I didn't agree with the way it happened.

"I knew as one of my closest friends that that wouldn't be the end of him and he would work as hard as he could to get where he is."

Mount admitted he also came close to leaving the club due to it being notoriously tough for youngsters to break into the first-team.

"My dad always had questions because there weren't many young players coming through," he added. "JT [John Terry] was the only one who really came through and had an unbelievable career.

"I always believed that I would make it to the first team through hard work and determination and I didn't let anybody get in the way of my focus, even my dad when he had questions.

"I said I [was] going to stay here and work as hard as I can. I [believed] totally that I [could] make it to the first team and then go all the way."