talkSPORT’s Rory Jennings was left far from impressed with Mason Mount’s goodbye message to Chelsea fans.
The 24-year-old is set to complete a move to Manchester United this summer in a £55million switch from the Blues.
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Mount will therefore call an end to his 18-year spell at Chelsea, in which he won the Champions League, Super Cup and Club World Cup after rising through their academy.
With confirmation of his move to Old Trafford now imminent, he took to Instagram to say goodbye to fans in a video.
He thanked them for their support during his time at the club and revealed that he believes he is making the right step in his career.
However, speaking on The Transfer Insiders, Jennings revealed his belief that the message ahead of a move to Chelsea’s rivals was ‘so, so transparent’.
Co-host Ade Oladipo claimed that more questions need to be asked about Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly for letting such a move happen, and Jennings replied: “I certainly think that there’s reasons.
“Every time that we’ve spoken about Mount, I believe that to the annoyance of some Chelsea fans, I’ve always been a great defender of him. I’ve understood why he wanted to leave, I’ve spoken about the lack of support that he was given at he club.
“I’ve spoken about the fact that he would watch [Kalidou] Koulibaly earn over £300,000-a-week while he was earning less than £100,00-a-week, despite being integral to Chelsea winning a European cup. But this has rung me up the wrong way.
“This video, this platitude, it’s obviously so scripted and it’s treating people like idiots. You cannot have your cake and eat it, you cannot sign for United but try and keep Chelsea fans happy.
“You cannot appease Chelsea fans when you’re trying to score goals against Chelsea for United. Chelsea and United are rivals, don’t get me wrong we’re not historic rivals, it’s not Chelsea/Leeds, it’s not Chelsea/Tottenham, it’s not Chelsea/Arsenal even.
“But United are a significant rival, they’re a club with which we have a lot of antipathy, we’ve had a lot of back and forth, we’ve challenged for titles. There is animosity amongst the fans and he has opted to sign with them, so that’s fine, you’ve done it as a professional.
“You’ve decided that they are a better option for you financially and possibly for your footballing career, but don’t try it with us now. Don’t put out this video, it’s so, so transparent.
“I can see exactly what he’s trying to do and any Chelsea fan that is bought in by this… it’s so obvious what’s going on and you just need to employ an element of critical thinking and you can see exactly what’s going on here. He doesn’t care.”
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Jennings also chose not to hold back on Mount earlier on in the show as Chelsea say goodbye to one of their successful academy products.
“I mean it’s slightly self-indulgent isn’t it? Also, bringing up all of the reasons why he loved Chelsea, the fact that he’s been there for so long, the fact that he won all those trophies as a youth [player].
“The fact that he had such a good relationship with the fans, the fact he had so many joyful memories with the managers that he listed. Alright mate, if it means that much to you don’t leave.
“Like, if you really care, I’m not too into your platitudes, I’m not too into the fact that you rather self-indulgently want to film yourself and your new trim telling us how much care about the club. You’ve just signed for United, like suck it up and own that.
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“You’re now a United player, so be a United player, own that you’re a United player and be totally frank and say that you don’t really care about Chelsea, because that’s what this is isn’t it?
“Like coming out and going, ‘Ah you know, I love you guys, I’m not going to play for you anymore, I want to go to United. I love you guys, I’m not going to play for you anymore, I want to go and play in front of the Stretford End, I love you guys but I want to go and play in the Champions League for them’.
“Don’t pretend to be a Chelsea man, don’t pretend to be this like icon of Chelsea, somebody who idolises Chelsea, loves Chelsea, bleeds Chelsea and wants to play at Stamford Bridge. Because if you wanted to play at Stamford Bridge, you’d be playing at Stamford Bridge.
“We don’t need this video, he might need to do this video because he might want to make it [as] seamless an exit as possible, but the only person who this is for is Mount.”
