Mason Mount was right to take a steely approach to competition over his place.
Chelsea spent big in the summer to revamp their squad with more than £200million spent on new signings from time Werner to Kai Havertz and Hakim Ziyech to Ben Chilwell.
And after that overhaul, those players who were already at Chelsea, and particularly young players like Mount, might have feared for their future at the club.
In Mount's case, he had both Ziyech and Havertz to worry about, players the Blues had invested more than £100million combined on with Frank Lampard hoping to improve the quality of his midfield.
But surprisingly, when quizzed about the competition ahead of the season, Mount was firm, warning incomings that they would have to match his level of fight to take his place, regardless of the transfer fee upon which they arrived.
“For me, it's about having that same attitude I have had since I was six and making sure I never lose it,” Mount told the Daily Mail.
“You just have to fight. You know Chelsea can always buy £60million or £70m or £80m players that are world-class. They want to come here and take my place.
“Just because I am an academy boy and young, that doesn't mean anything. But the mentality I have means I won't be pushed over easily.
"I will fight for my position and keep working hard. At a club as big as Chelsea you have to have that mentality.
"It always stuck with me. It's why I am here in the first place.”
Mount has been proven right. The Blues academy product has been a stalwart in Lampard's plans despite the disappointing start the Blues have suffered.
And what's more, the likes of Havertz - who have started alongside Mount at times - have struggled so far as they battle to adjust to the Premier League.
Havertz has started 11 times for Chelsea in the Premier League this season, while Ziyech has seven and Mount has 17 with the latter trusted from working with Lampard both at Chelsea and on a loan spell at Derby, not to mention his performances have been impressive this season with the England international by far and away the Blues' highest-rated player with an average WhoScored rating of 7.43.
It seems Mount was spot on about his mentality, and it could come in handy for Lampard as he looks to lean on his most resilient players to get him and Chelsea out of the mire.
