Forgotten Chelsea player 'banished' from training by Mauricio Pochettino terminates contract and joins new club

A forgotten Chelsea player who hasn't played for the club in over two years has finally terminated his contract and is set to join a new club.

The Blues have typically been busy this summer both in terms of incomings and outgoings, although their spending has not been to the extent of previous windows so far.

Hakim Ziyech and Thiago Silva join the host of first team players who have left Stamford Bridge since their 2021 Champions League success, with only three players from that season's squad still at the club.

One player who was out on loan during that campaign was young defender Malang Sarr, whom Chelsea signed on a free transfer from Nice in 2020.

The 25-year-old has stayed at Stamford Bridge throughout all the upheaval, despite making just eight Premier League appearances in that time. His last appearance for the Blues was in a 2-1 win over Watford in May 2022.

He spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan at Monaco, and may have seen the last season as a new start under new manager Mauricio Pochettino.

But Pochettino didn't appear to know who Sarr was during one of his early press conferences, and the Frenchman spent the entire season training with the under-21s.

The Blues tried to loan him out to Ligue 1 side Le Havre on deadline day in February, but the deal fell through.

Sarr, who is reportedly earning £100,000-per-week at Stamford Bridge, signed a five-year contract with the club in 2020.

But Fabrizio Romano reports the defender has finally ran out of patience with Chelsea over a potential exit, and has reached an agreement to terminate his contract.

Romano adds that, pending the completion of a medical, Sarr will join RC Lens,

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The French side faced Arsenal in the Champions League group stage last season, recording a memorable 2-1 home win in their first meeting.

However, they were thrashed 6-0 in the return fixture, but did manage to finish third in their group. They then entered the Europa League before being knocked out in the play-off round.

This season, they will play in the Europa Conference League having finished seventh in Ligue 1 last term. Lens are now managed by Will Still.