Chelsea legends John Terry and Frank Lampard believe Mason Mount should be Chelsea’s next captain but the Chelsea hierarchy appear to disagree.

According to The Telegraph, Reece James is being groomed for a leadership role at Chelsea with the right-back seen as a potential future captain.

James is seen as a hugely important player by both Chelsea head coach Graham Potter and Chelsea’s owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.

Cesar Azpilicueta is Chelsea’s captain, with Thiago Silva taking over the vice-captaincy role after Jorginho was sold to Arsenal in January. 

Azpilicueta is likely to be allowed to leave in the summer if he wishes, while, aged 38, Silva has signed a one-year extension to his contract that would put the Brazilian at the front of the queue to take the armband full-time next season should Azpilicueta depart.

But the long-term captaincy and leadership positions at Chelsea are up for grabs and James is somebody the club believe could grow into that role over the next 12 to 18 months.

However, both Lampard and Terry believe that Mount should be the next Chelsea captain.

Speaking to The Telegraph in 2021, former Chelsea midfielder Lampard said: “I definitely made him captain that day [against Luton] because I’ve seen his leadership qualities develop, particularly this season.

“His form was developing this season, he’s Chelsea Player of the Year and rightly so because his individual performances have been immense particularly for someone of his age. But I saw his leadership skills in his personality developing this season and I’ve always seen it in Mason because there’s a sternness about Mason, there’s a toughness about him.

“He’s a great lad, not always the most vocal but this year he’s starting to be a bit more vocal and he started just to ooze those qualities,” Lampard added. “So I made him captain for that and I saw him as a future Chelsea captain. That’s obviously other people’s decisions now.”

When asked about the successor to Azpilicueta, Terry told Alison Bender TV: “He [Azpilicueta] has been superb and as you said, there are many ways to skin a cat. He does it differently.

“His performances first and foremost have to speak for themselves, and they certainly do that. When you’re captain it’s important that you are a consistent performer, week in and week out.

“You give a solid seven or eight out of 10 every week. He does that for the group. And again, he is that example for everyone else to follow. I love what he does but I think the progression from that would probably lead itself to Mason for me.

“I think Mason has got the ability to go on and I think he’s capable of grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck if we need to. The Chelsea fans relate to him. He is Chelsea through and through. His family are as well. I would personally love to see Mason take it.”

James recently signed a contract until 2028 while Mount is yet to sign a Chelsea contract.