Chelsea reportedly agree a deal to loan a 19-year-old defender back to Strasbourg just weeks after signing him from the Ligue 1 side.
Chelsea have reportedly agreed to send recently-signed defender Mamadou Sarr back out on loan to Strasbourg for the 2025-26 season.
The 19-year-old arrived in West London for approximately £12.1m earlier this summer and made his debut for Enzo Maresca‘s men during their triumphant World Cup campaign.
Sarr came off the bench as a late substitute in Chelsea’s 3-0 group-stage win over Esperance de Tunis, but he did not play another minute at the competition en route to the Blues’ final success over Paris Saint-Germain.
The 6ft 4in defender committed to an eight-year contract upon his arrival at Stamford Bridge, but he is now set to spend the first year of his deal away from the English capital.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea and Strasbourg have swiftly agreed on a deal that will see the 2005-born defender return to the Stade de la Meinau for the upcoming campaign.
Sarr to play ‘key part’ for Strasbourg as Chelsea loan agreed
Following his £8.7m arrival from Lyon at the end of the 2023-24 campaign, Sarr established himself as an integral player for Strasbourg, starting 27 Ligue 1 games for Liam Rosenior‘s men last term.
The 19-year-old’s exploits helped Les Coureurs place seventh in the French top flight, thus earning them a spot in the Conference League playoff round, and they ended up just three points below Nice in fourth.
Now, Romano adds that Sarr will play a ‘key part’ in Strasbourg’s ambitions to achieve a top-five finish in the French top flight this season before heading back to Chelsea next summer.
The exact details of the loan have not been disclosed, but it is likely to be a straight temporary deal without an option or obligation to make permanent at the end of the campaign.
Could any other defenders leave Chelsea this summer?
Chelsea are no strangers to signing up-and-coming French centre-backs from Ligue 1, having also poached former Monaco teammates Benoit Badiashile and Axel Disasi in 2023, but both men have thus far failed to make the grade.
Exits for the pair this summer are unsurprisingly being mooted; Disasi is back in West London following his loan spell at Aston Villa, who decided against a permanent move for the 27-year-old.
However, another European-competing Premier League club has supposedly shown an interest in signing Disasi, while Villarreal could make a move for the versatile defender if the conditions are right.
Meanwhile, Badiashile has expressed hope that he will still be at Chelsea next season, although he will be competing with the likes of Wesley Fofana, Levi Colwill, Tosin Adarabioyo and Trevoh Chalobah for starting roles.
Renato Veiga is on the books too after his Juventus loan, but he can apparently leave for the right price amid interest from Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich.
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