Exiled Chelsea defender Malang Sarr has been left out of the Blues' Premier League squad for the 2023-24 season.
The former Nice man is set for a bitter end to an underwhelming West London career, having arrived on a free transfer from Nice in the summer of 2020.
Sarr had already played 119 times for the senior Nice team before earning a marquee move to Stamford Bridge, but he was immediately sent out on loan to Portuguese giants Porto.
While on the books at the Estadio do Dragao, Sarr came up with one goal in 19 appearances, but he failed to become a regular starter under Sergio Conceicao before returning to the Blues.
Nevertheless, the 24-year-old managed to play his way into Thomas Tuchel's first-team setup and made 21 appearances for Chelsea in the 2021-22 season, albeit while starting just six Premier League games.
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Sarr started five successive EFL Cup contests that term before being dropped for Chelsea's loss to Liverpool in the final, while he did not play a single minute in the FA Cup from the semi-finals onwards.
With several defenders ahead of him in the pecking order, Sarr tried to reignite his career on loan with Monaco last season, but he played just 17 times and was plagued by a muscular injury towards the end of the season.
The former France Under-21 international remains under contract at Stamford Bridge until 2025 on a reported £100,000-a-week salary, but he has not earned any minutes under Mauricio Pochettino, who did not appear to be aware of Sarr's presence earlier this summer.
When asked about Sarr's lack of minutes in a press conference, Pochettino replied: "Who? Oh my goodness. I don't know what I can tell you.
'I don't know because you surprised me! It's like you punch [me in the face] and I am like this [startled]. Because we were talking about Luton!"
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Now, an exit is almost inevitable after Sarr was left out of Pochettino's 25-man Premier League squad, which features Benoit Badiashile, Trevoh Chalobah, Ben Chilwell, Marc Cucurella, Axel Disasi, Thiago Silva, Wesley Fofana and Reece James as the defensive contingent.
The 24-year-old is running out of time to secure a move elsewhere, though, as the Turkish transfer window closes on Friday, although he is still thought to have several admirers from the Super Lig.
Alternatively, Sarr could try his hand in the Qatar Stars League, where the window remains open until Monday, otherwise the defender faces being frozen out until January.
Chelsea have named nine home-grown players in their 25-man squad, while youngsters such as Romeo Lavia, Ian Maatsen, Lesley Ugochukwu, Noni Madueke, Carney Chukwuemeka and Cole Palmer are on the Under-21s list.
Ben Knapton
