Chelsea agree £12.5million transfer for France wonderkid Mamadou Sarr – but defender won’t join until summer
CHELSEA have agreed to sign teenage centre-back Mamadou Sarr from sister club Strasbourg, according to reports.
But the 19-year-old will remain with Ligue 1 side for the rest of the season before arriving at Stamford Bridge in the summer.
Sarr has given the green light over a long-term contract and final details of the switch are expected to be smooth, according to
Both Strasbourg and Chelsea are owned by BlueCo, the multi-club ownership group led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.
Sarr joined Strasbourg in August from Ligue 1 rivals Lyon in a £8.4m deal.
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The talented defender has been capped by up to under-19 level and captained his country to under-17 Euros glory in 2022.
He is eligible to play for Senegal through his footballer dad Pape Sarr, who played as a midfielder for Saint Etienne and Lens.
Strasbourg have three players on loan from Chelsea: keeper Djordje Petrovic, defender Caleb Wiley and midfielder Andrey Santos.
Wesley Fofana and Levi Colwill have been Enzo Maresca’s first-choice central defensive partnership this season.
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But Fofana's injury saw the once banished Trevoh Chalobah recalled from his loan spell at Crystal Palace last week.
Tosin Adarabioyo, Benoit Badiashile, Axel Disasi and Josh Acheampong frequently come in and out of the XI.
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Maresca said January has been “a disaster” for the club due to transfer speculation surrounding his squad.
A number of players have been linked with moves away, with the 44-year-old concerned it is affecting focus as team.
Maresca said: “Off the pitch it’s a disaster because so many noises that I don’t think help us, but I don’t think they help any club.
“It’s for every club, every manager. When there is any noise about some player, it’s not easy, because even if you think the player can be focussed on us, in the end it’s a human being.”
Ben Chilwell, Carney Chukwuemeka and Cesare Casadei have all been told they are free to find new clubs this month.
Chelsea, who are five games without a win, dropped to sixth in the table and face Wolves on Monday.