Forgotten Chelsea star who Thomas Tuchel described as 'reliable' set for exit as he flies out to continue talks

Malang Sarr’s nightmare at Chelsea is finally coming to an end as the defender has flown to France to seal a deal with RC Lens. Last season, Sarr saw a move to Le Havre collapse at the last minute, with sources at the French club telling LondonWorld that Chelsea just did not seem keen on getting the deal across the line.

The failed move meant he spent the entire last season training with Chelsea’s junior team, with former manager Mauricio Pochettino deciding against adding him to the first-team squad.

Chelsea signed Sarr from Nice in 2020, and he was a member of Thomas Tuchel’s side, with the German manager describing him as reliable after he put in a man-of-the-match performance against Tottenham Hotspur in a Premier League fixture.

Tuchel said after Sarr’s performance against Spurs in 2022: "He played a good match again, very good — [I’m] very happy that he did so. Like all the matches when we needed him, he was reliable, he was there.”

"I have the feeling that he knows his role very clearly, he appreciates being in the team and when necessary, he steps up and shows he can be a strong teammate and a strong player."

Another huge earner off the bill

Chelsea have invested more than £1 billion on players in the last three transfer windows, but Sarr, like many who left before him, was signed by the former owners. His reported £120k-a-week wages without being part of the team have been a headache for the new owners.

There is clearly no spot for him in the team, with Chelsea looking to add Tosin Adarabioyo to a defensive unit that already contains the likes of Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana, and Axel Disasi. The player will also be delighted if he can agree on a deal in the coming days to get his career back on track.