“I want…”: Chelsea loanee sends clear message over Stamford Bridge future amid impressive form in France

Mamadou Sarr. (REUTERS)

Chelsea’s loan army is once again spread across Europe, with several youngsters enjoying standout campaigns.

Nicolas Jackson is settling well at Bayern Munich as Harry Kane’s dependable understudy, while Aaron Anselmino is thriving at Borussia Dortmund — so much so that BVB reportedly want to make his stay permanent.

Elsewhere, Caleb Wiley is progressing at Watford, and David Datro Fofana is rebuilding confidence in Turkey with Fatih Karagümrük.

But it’s RC Strasbourg — BlueCo’s sister club — where three Chelsea loanees are stationed: Mike Penders, Kendry Páez, and Mamadou Sarr. And now, one of them has made his intentions crystal clear.

Mamadou Sarr has openly stated that he plans to return to Chelsea next season once his loan at Strasbourg concludes.

The Blues signed the highly rated defender from Strasbourg in a £12m deal over the summer, handing him his debut at the Club World Cup before loaning him straight back to the Alsace club to continue his development.

The move has paid off. Sarr has become a central figure for Strasbourg this season, even captaining the side on multiple occasions, with the team currently sitting eighth in Ligue 1. His leadership and consistency have only strengthened Chelsea’s belief in his long-term potential.

Speaking to Canal+ — via The Standard — Sarr was unequivocal about where he sees his future.

“Absolutely (I want to play for Chelsea next season). I want to make a good season with Strasbourg, then join the Chelsea group in June,” he said.

Sarr added: “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.”

With Sarr thriving in France and showing genuine leadership qualities, Chelsea may soon have another academy-aged defender ready to challenge for first-team minutes at Stamford Bridge.

Barnaby Lane is a highly experienced sports writer who has written for The Times, FourFourTwo Magazine, Sports Illustrated, TalkSPORT, and Business Insider.

Over the years, he's had the pleasure of interviewing some of the biggest names in world sport, including Usain Bolt, Rafael Nadal, Christian Pulisic, and more.