Chelsea have reached an agreement to sign teenage defender Mamadou Sarr from sister club Strasbourg, according to reports.
The 19-year-old has been a regular fixture in Ligue 1 since breaking into the side this season. A centre-back of that age playing regularly in a top European league was always likely to attract attention in the summer transfer window.
So Blues boss Enzo Maresca has opted to beat his rivals to the punch and tie up a deal for Sarr now, which will see the youngster loaned back to Strasbourg for the remainder of the campaign before joining up with his new team-mates.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the total package will cost Chelsea just shy of £13million. Sarr has given his green light over a long-term contract, and negotiations over the final details of the switch between the two BlueCo-owned clubs are expected to be smooth.
Sarr broke into senior Football with Lyon before signing for Strasbourg on a five-year deal last summer. Already capped up to Under-19 level with France, the towering 6ft 4in central defender is set to become the latest in a long line of promising prospects to try their luck at Stamford Bridge.
Teenagers Marc Guiu, Tyrique George and Josh Acheampong have earned first-team minutes under Maresca this season. Aaron Anselmino could do so over the coming weeks after being recalled from his loan at Boca Juniors.
And competition will only increase at the end of the season, with globally-recognised wonderkids Estevao Willian and Kendry Paez preparing to leave Latin America and make a splash in the Premier League.
-Genk goalkeeper Mike Penders will also be on the scene, and he could be joined by fellow youngsters Lesley Ugochukwu, Andrey Santos and Alfie Gilchrist, who are all spending the current campaign out on loan.
While Maresca will be happy to see the Chelsea hierarchy lock down another top talent, he has not been pleased by the extent of rumours linking his current squad members with moves elsewhere.
Joao Felix, Axel Disasi, Ben Chilwell, Carney Chukwuemeka, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Cesare Casadei, Renato Veiga and Christopher Nkunku could all feasibly move on before the January window shuts.
“On the pitch, I would like to win more games but I’m OK,” Maresca explained last week. “Off the pitch it is a disaster because of so many noises that don’t help us. I don’t think they help any club.”
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