Chelsea star Mason Mount is likely out until the end of the season with a pelvic issue.
The attacking midfielder has been shut down by manager Frank Lampard for his long-term health.
Mount, who only has a year remaining on his contract, may even have played his last game for the club.
Asked about Mount, Lampard told reporters this week: "I did appreciate it as it is important you have players who want to go that extra mile. Knowing them as lads, I am not surprised.
“Reece [James] also was possibly the best player on the pitch with a dodgy hamstring so it shows what level of player he is. With Reece, we've got to try and find a way of using all that capacity that he has got and make him available more because he is a top player in my opinion.
“Mason has been the same, he has played through this because he wants to contribute to this club and they are players that really want to contribute to Chelsea and what it is all about. That's the desire you need and without it, you can't be a top player at Chelsea. Those two are the epitome of that."
He added: "I don't think it is about loving Chelsea, necessarily. It is about having pride in what you do. It is about playing football and understanding it takes the basics of real motivation and desire before you even get to the finer details of it. I think it should be a prerequisite for players in a team that wants to be a top team in the Premier League."
On Mount's contract and future, he finished: “I don't know the answer to that, it's a conversation between Mason and the club, so I don't know. It's not final at this point and we'll have to see because those conversations are ongoing.
“It's a shame for me personally because I think everyone knows how I feel about working with Mason and I like to think he feels the same about me and we could have done with him in the games we've played already this season. But the bigger picture is something that's going to become clearer in the next weeks and months, and that will be the club and Mason together having conversations."
