Potter in the dark over futures of Chelsea duo

Chelsea boss Graham Potter admits the futures of Mason Mount and Mateo Kovacic are out of his hands.

The midfielders are yet to agree new contracts with the club.

There has been much speculation about Mount, who has been linked with the likes of Liverpool and Bayern Munich.

“I think it’s been tough for Mason because he’s had some niggling injury and speculation off the pitch,” Blues head coachPotter said.

“He’s a professional and a top professional and he’s a fantastic lad. How he’s acted with me, with the team, how he’s acted around us has been absolutely top.

“I think that’s credit to him because sometimes in your career things are difficult, not quite how you’d like them to be, and you have to act well and conduct yourself in a good way, and that’s exactly what he’s done.

“These things are really complicated because it’s not about my opinion. It’s about the player, the club – lots of things I am not in control of.

“All I can do is give my opinion of him as a footballer and a person and I have nothing but positive things to say about Mason.

“Similar to Mason, I have huge respect for Mateo as a person. He plays a role for the team and has been captain as well. But it is between Mateo and the club.”

Potter admitted the squad at his disposal is too large. Several players are expected to be offloaded this summer.

“That is the challenge we have,” Potter said.

“We have got a big squad, a deep squad with a lot of really good players.

“That is a normal part of a football club’s business. Things happen, people move on. Sometimes players need more games.”