Forgotten Chelsea star set for LaLiga loan
Tom Weber
- Updated: 5 Dec 2023 10:37 GMT
- 3 min read
Malang Sarr could be on his way out of Chelsea, albeit only temporarily, according to a report.
The defender is a forgotten man at Stamford Bridge, having not featured for the Blues since the final day of the 2021/22 season against Watford. A once-highly-rated, versatile player who looked to be on the verge of breaking into the senior French national team, Chelsea believed they played a blinder when they signed him for nothing from Nice.
However, the 24-year-old's time at Chelsea has not gone to plan and he was loaned out to Monaco last term, failing to impress. This season, he has been nowhere near Mauricio Pochettino's team and the Argentine appeared to not even know Sarr existed when asked about his future in August.
There were rumours in the summer that the Blues could terminate his lucrative contract, but nothing ultimately materialised. Due to Chelsea's overhauling of their squad and signing many young players, the club's wage structure has also changed and, incredibly, Sarr - a remnant of the Roman Abramovich era - sits in the top 10 of the Blues' highest earners.
Sarr set for Celta Vigo?
The current situation is clearly untenable. Chelsea are losing a fortune on a player who doesn't feature and the club are looking for a January solution.
One of the sides also looking for a January solution to their own issues are Celta Vigo. Coached by ex-Chelsea boss Rafa Benitez, the LaLiga outfit are battling against the drop this season, having been quite unfortunate with refereeing decisions.
According to TodoFichajes, Celta have knocked on Chelsea's door regarding a January loan for Sarr, having already wanted to sign him in the summer. Benitez's side aren't the only ones looking at the Frenchman, however, as the report also mentions Real Betis as a potential destination.
Sarr is still under contract until 2025, so a loan would only be a temporary fix to a problem that will again crop up in the summer.
