Chelsea block fringe player’s move to fellow Premier League club
Soccer Football - FA Cup Quarter Final - Middlesbrough v Chelsea - Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough, Britain - March 19, 2022 Chelsea's Malang Sarr celebrates after the match Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith
Chelsea have blocked Malang Sarr’s proposed move to west London rivals Fulham until they have found a replacement, according to reports.
As per The Evening Standard, the Blues are unwilling to let the Frenchman leave for Craven Cottage until they have sourced a new centre-back themselves.
Sarr is one of a number of central defenders that the Cottagers have made an offer for, including West Ham United’s Issa Diop.
Sarr struggled during his first season in England
The 23-year-old has struggled to establish himself at Stamford Bridge since joining on a free transfer in the summer of 2020.
The defender spent the 2020/21 campaign on loan at Porto, and then made just six Premier League starts during his first campaign in English football last term.
That led to speculation that the player would leave this summer, although it appears that the Blues are not so keen on the idea of his departure.
Chelsea are currently working on deals for Leicester City’s Wesley Fofana, Brighton’s Marc Cucurella and Inter Milan’s Denzel Dumfries.