Chelsea Sign 19-Year-Old Defender From Ligue 1 on Long-Term Eight-Year Deal
- Chelsea Football Club has confirmed the signing of Mamadou Sarr from Strasbourg in Ligue 1
- The 19-year-old defender is a product of French giants Lens before joining seven-time Ligue 1 champions Strasbourg in 2018
- The Blues finished the 2024/25 season in 4th place with 69 points, recording 20 wins, 9 losses, and 9 draws
Chelsea have announced the signing of Mamadou Sarr from RC Strasbourg for £12 million on an eight-year deal.
The Blues and the Capital of Europe, who are partner teams, agreed on the transfer in January.
Chelsea will compete in the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League, while Strasbourg secured a spot in the Conference League play-offs after finishing seventh in Ligue 1.
Source: Getty Images
Chelsea make fourth signing
Chelsea have completed their fourth signing of the summer with the arrival of 19-year-old defender Mamadou Sarr.
According to the BBC, the French centre-back joins the Blues after an impressive 2024/25 season in which he made 28 appearances across all competitions.
The France U20 player joined Strasbourg last August and quickly became a key figure in their defence, starting 27 Ligue 1 matches.
His consistent performances caught Chelsea’s attention, leading to the £12 million transfer and an eight-year deal with the Premier League side per Sky Sports.
The defender began his career at Lens, later moving to Lyon, where he made his senior debut during the penultimate game of the 2022/23 season.
According to ESPN, the defender had two more appearances the following campaign before a five-month loan to Belgian side Molenbeek.
Sarr’s arrival follows Chelsea’s earlier summer acquisitions of Liam Delap (£30m from Ipswich Town), Estevao (£29m from Palmeiras), and Dario Essugo (£18m from Sporting Lisbon), as the club continues to bolster its squad ahead of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League campaign.
Source: Getty Images
Brief history about Mamadou Sarr
Chelsea’s new signing, Mamadou Sarr was born in the Southern part of France (Martigues), while his father, Pape Sarr, who plays professional football, was on loan at nearby Istres.
According to Chelsea FC, the 19-year-old spent much of his early childhood in the north of France, where his father played for clubs such as Brest, Paris FC, and Noisy-le-Sec.
At the age of 12, his family returned to the south, and Mamadou joined the academy at Lyon, where his football journey began in earnest.
Mamadou is the son of former Senegal international midfielder Pape Sarr who was part of the historic 2002 Senegal squad that reached the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup and won the Africa Cup of Nations, per BBC.
Mikel Obi sends message to Jackson
Legit.ng earlier reported that John Obi Mikel has clarified his recent comments about Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson, emphasising that he intended no disrespect and was instead encouraging the young forward to reach his full potential.
Mikel also shared his opinion on the club’s choice of signing Liam Delap instead of long-term target Nigerian international Victor Osimhen.
The Chelsea legend believes the £30 million (€36 million) signing of Delap from Ipswich Town could motivate Jackson.
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Source: Legit.ng
