Maresca handed boost as Chelsea flop reaches transfer agreement

Cameron Smith

22 Jul 2024 11:00 BST
3 min read

Chelsea defender Malang Sarr has reportedly reached a full agreement to join RC Lens this summer.

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The Frenchman moved to Stamford Bridge on a free transfer in 2020, but he has played just 21 times for the club, with his last appearance coming back in May 2022.

Sarr has just one year left on his current contract at Chelsea, however he is set to leave the club this summer after reaching an agreement to join Lens.

According to French outlet Foot Mercato, Sarr will leave Chelsea and sign a two-year contract with the Ligue 1 club following an agreement on personal terms. He will travel to Lens to undergo a medical before officially joining the club.

Will Still’s side have accelerated their pursuit of Sarr in recent days and his arrival is deemed “imminent” by Foot Mercato.

News of Sarr’s agreement to join Lens comes after The Athletic reported that Chelsea were “highly-motivated” to sell the former OGC Nice defender this summer.

Sarr was close to joining Le Havre in January, but the move collapsed during the final hours of the transfer window and he remained on the fringes at Chelsea.

© IMAGO - Malang Sarr is set to leave Chelsea

Chelsea’s summer rebuild

Sarr’s imminent departure is a continuation of Chelsea’s summer overhaul.

The Blues have already signed Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Omari Kellyman, Renato Veiga, Marc Guiu and Tosin Adarabioyo so far this window, while Ian Maatsen, Lewis Hall and Omari Hutchinson have been sold.

Additionally, Thiago Silva and Hakim Ziyech have left upon the expiration of their contracts.

Meanwhile, Romelu Lukaku and Kepa Arrizabalaga are expected to depart permanently, and the likes of Djordje Petrovic, Cesare Casadei, Conor Gallagher and Armando Broja could also leave.

Enzo Maresca will take charge of his first Chelsea game when the Blues face Wrexham in a pre-season friendly in the early hours of Thursday morning.