Chelsea prepared to let Mamadou Sarr join Premier League rivals on loan | OneFootball

Chelsea are considering whether to send defender Mamadou Sarr out on loan next season, according to The Standard.

The 20-year-old centre-back is highly rated at Stamford Bridge, but he needs to play regular first-team football to continue his development.

Chelsea would prefer to loan him to another Premier League club, although Sarr is also attracting interest from several teams abroad.

The Blues haven’t made a final decision yet, but leaving the club on loan is in Sarr’s best interest.

Chelsea are still open to keeping the French defender in the first-team squad if Xabi Alonso believes he can contribute during the 2026/27 campaign.

The Spaniard is expected to meet with Sarr before deciding the next step in the player’s development.

Sarr joined Chelsea from fellow BlueCo club Strasbourg in a deal worth around £12 million and has been praised by former head coach Liam Rosenior for his ‘world-class‘ potential

He was initially part of Chelsea’s squad during their successful Club World Cup campaign, but returned to Strasbourg for the 2025/26 season before being recalled on the January transfer deadline.

That turned out to be a needless move as he struggled to make an impact at Chelsea, although he didn’t get nearly enough game time to showcase his talent.

Sarr made only six appearances across all competitions and struggled to establish himself in a defence packed with experienced options. He was also left out of the squad for the FA Cup final in May.

Chelsea are expected to make several changes in defence before the transfer window closes.

Trevoh Chalobah is increasingly likely to leave the club on a permanent deal, with the England international reportedly interested in playing abroad.

Serie A duo Como and Inter Milan are among those monitoring his situation. The Blues are also keeping tabs on Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix but are yet to make an offer.

Palace are aware of Chelsea’s interest and are holding out for a significant fee for the Frenchman.