Strasbourg loanee Mamadou Sarr has confirmed that he plans to play for Chelsea next season.
The 20-year-old centre-back joined Chelsea from sister club Strasbourg for £12million in June before then rejoining the Ligue 1 side on loan this season.
Sarr, who made his Chelsea debut against ES Tunis during the Club World Cup, has become an integral part of Liam Rosenior’s youthful Strasbourg team, stepping in as captain for Emmanuel Emegha, who is also set to make the move to west London next summer.
Strasbourg are enjoying a strong campaign and are on course to qualify for the knockout stages of the Conference League after their 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace last week, though striker Emegha was suspended by the club for Saturday’s Ligue 1 trip to Toulouse due to what they described as “the player’s recent failure to respect the club’s values, expectations and rules”.
Speaking to French journalist Lee-Roy Kabeya in an interview for Canal+, Sarr said that while he remains focused on helping Strasbourg, his plan is to play for Chelsea next season.
“Absolutely (I want to play for Chelsea next season),” he said. “I want to make a good season with Strasbourg, then join the Chelsea group in June.
“Strasbourg is a good place to progress because there are only young players. The environment is made only for us. I think it is the best place to develop.”
Sarr, who signed an eight-year deal at Chelsea, was part of every matchday squad en route to the Blues lifting the Club World Cup in the United States in the summer.
Despite playing just eight minutes for Enzo Maresca’s side at the end of a 3-0 win over ES Tunis, Sarr described lifting the trophy as the best moment of his fledgling career to date.
“Chelsea winning the Club World Cup (is the best memory of my career) because it was the first (edition of the expanded tournament), also because it was in America,” he continued.
“Winning with that group, that club. I think it was my best memory.”
