Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has made it clear that defender Malang Sarr is not part of his plans, paving the way for potential departure in January.
Currently sitting in a challenging 12th position in the table, just six points behind Everton, who have been docked 10 points, Chelsea is facing a dire situation. Pochettino has urged for new signings during the January window, signaling an imminent reshuffling of the squad, including potential exits, with Sarr likely among them.
Sarr arrived at Chelsea on a free transfer in the summer of 2020 after leaving Nice, drawing interest from Arsenal at that time. Despite being highly regarded for his talent during his stint in Ligue 1, Sarr’s prospects of evolving into a top player at Stamford Bridge have dimmed significantly, with only 21 first-team appearances across two loan spells.
Reports from FootMercato suggest that Pochettino has excluded Sarr from his plans, and discussions are underway with Besiktas, a Turkish side, for a move in the upcoming month. However, the talks are in an early stage and not yet advanced.
While Sarr’s contract with Chelsea extends until the summer of 2025, both parties seem poised to part ways before then.
Given Pochettino’s recent arrival at Chelsea in the summer, his lack of familiarity with every peripheral player at the club was evident. In August, when asked about the absence of Malang Sarr and Jamie Cumming from the squad against Luton Town, Pochettino appeared confused, stating, “Who?” and expressing surprise at the inquiry before redirecting the conversation to the Luton match.