Chelsea reach 'agreement' with centre-back ahead of £16.9m transfer

Chelsea are making use of their partnership with Strasbourg to sign a talented young player. The Blues have placed much of their focus on offloading players so far this month, attempting to ship out some of players who have been deemed surplus to requirements by Enzo Maresca.

Carney Chukwuemeka, Ben Chilwell and Cesare Casadei appear to be the most likely departees, while Christopher Nkunku and others are also being tipped to move on before the window closes.

In the meantime, Chelsea are keeping an aye out for potential incomings, with particular emphasis on a winger and a centre-back. A significant signing is in no way a sure thing, but the Blues are standing by their mission of signing young players with big potential.

And they have now moved to add another youngster, making full use of the inside track they gain from sharing an owner with Strasbourg. Fabrice Hawkins has reported that the Blues are set to sign Mamadou Sarr from Strasbourg on a fee worth around £16.9million, though the defender will remain with his current club for now.

Hawkings tweeted: “EXCLUSIVE Chelsea is set to sign talent Mamadou Sarr from Strasbourg. Agreement between the player and Chelsea for a long term contract. Negotiation ongoing between the clubs - both own by BlueCo - transfer fee around 20M€. Strasbourg will keep the defender on loan.”

Sarr is a 19-year-old centre-back who has only been with the French club since the summer, arriving from Lyon where he had made two senior appearances as a youngster. He is a four-time France under-19s international, while he has made 11 senior league appearances for Strasbourg this season. Strasbourg will make a significant profit on the deal having paid £8.4million for the defender in the summer.