Frank Lampard insists Mason Mount would've made it at Chelsea without him.

Lampard gave Mount his break at Chelsea before his sacking in January.

He told the Daily Mail: "I'm positive he would have made it. Mason is different. It's not just talent – it's work ethic and desire. He is a tough kid.

"Whether he would have come through, played 50-plus games last season and really accelerated his improvement which has seen him become one of the best players in the Premier League, I'm not sure.

"It would have been easy for me to send Mason on loan. That pathway can work. But I decided that Mason needed backing and was ready to play at the top level."