Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has dispensed of one of his first team squad in a ruthless way this season.
With the Argentine arriving at Chelsea to a bloated squad built through a massive expenditure, his first action seemed to be shipping out a number of first team stars.
And while players like Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic and Kai Havertz all departed, others didn't quite get through the exit door. Chelsea and Pochettino, therefore, have since decided to block them from any first team access until the summer.
According to The Athletic, Chelsea defender Malang Sarr no longer has a locker in the first team building, with Pochettino instead forcing him to get changed in the academy building and train with the U21 side.
The report also adds that Sarr has to train by himself if the U21s are given a day off, or join in with a younger age group rather than be omitted into the first team.
Despite earning £100,000-per-week, Pochettino and the Chelsea hierarchy doesn't believe that Sarr is good enough for the first team. After spending the entirety of last season on loan in Ligue 1 with Monaco, Sarr returned to Stamford Bridge in the summer ready to fight for his place under the new manager.
He has failed to make an appearance in any competition, however, even though he continues to turn up to training everyday with the U21s. The 25-year-old nearly joined French side Le Havre on a free deal in January, but Chelsea and Sarr failed to reach an agreement on a pay-off for the 18 months that still remained on his deal.
Sarr, as a result, has continued to train with Chelsea's youth sides - but he isn't even featuring for the U21 side as one of the permitted three overage players, with manager Mark Robinson prioritising the developing players in his side.
Regardless, the Frenchman will hope a resolution to his Chelsea career is found quickly. He played eight times in the Premier League for Thomas Tuchel in the 2021/22 season, and impressed in the minimal opportunities he did receive.
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