Forgotten Chelsea star set for 'imminent' Stamford Bridge exit

Chelsea could finally part ways with forgotten defender Malang Sarr, with reports in France alleging a permanent exit is close to being agreed.

Sarr joined Chelsea on a free transfer in the summer of 2020 and was widely seen as a major bargain after several impressive years in Ligue 1 with Nice. However, an immediate loan to Porto saw him relegated to the reserve side and his career is yet to reignite.

The 25-year-old spent the entirety of last season out in the cold at Chelsea after failing to find another suitor to take him on loan, but Foot Mercato state Sarr could finally be heading for pastures new this summer.

It is claimed that Sarr's return to Ligue 1 with Lens is "imminent" after agreeing a two-year contract with the French side.

There is no mention of any transfer fee to Chelsea, who held talks over terminating Sarr's £100,000-a-week contract in January.

Sarr, who has 21 appearances for Chelsea to his name, had agreed to terminate his contract and join Le Havre earlier this year, but club director Mathieu Bodmer later claimed the Blues withdrew their offer at the last second for unknown reasons.

"What they did to him was disgraceful," Bodmer said. "With just a few details still to be worked out, they did a U-turn. They gave the youngster the go-ahead to travel, and a financial agreement had been reached for the eighteen months of his remaining contract at Chelsea.

"However, on several occasions, they went back on their agreement, and then gave it again. And once the player had agreed to make a big effort, to come to us on a tiny salary, just to play football, they blocked him.

"Everything was OK, the contract had even been submitted to the League (LFP), but we never received Chelsea's cancellation. In the end, they just told him he wouldn't be leaving and they didn't even answer the phone any more."

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