Como are pushing on Mamadou Sarr, according to Gazzetta Dello Sport, and this feels like one of those stories that tells you more about Chelsea than the player himself.
The Serie A club have intensified direct contact over a deal for the young defender after looking at other options, including Trevoh Chalobah. That matters because it places Sarr in the category he currently occupies at Stamford Bridge, a possible solution for somebody else, rather than a trusted answer for Chelsea.
Como Interest Highlights Chelsea Problem
Sarr has found minutes hard to come by and that is rarely accidental. Managers pick players they trust. He did not become established under Liam Rosenior, nor under interim boss Calum McFarlane. The broad assessment is easy enough to understand. He can read the game, he is tidy on the ground, but he does not dominate physically and aerially he has looked vulnerable. For a central defender in the Premier League, that is not a minor issue.
Still, Cesc Fabregas appears to think there is a player here, and he may be right. Como offer a calmer setting, more structure, and probably more patience. Some players need exactly that.
Photo: IMAGO
Mamadou Sarr Move Reflects Recruitment Errors
From a Chelsea perspective, this looks like another case of buying first and asking the important questions later. Sarr arrived attached to long-term potential, but potential only has value when there is a development plan behind it. Chelsea needed defensive reliability, they did not get it. Sarr needed regular football, he did not get that either.
The wider issue is the planning. A move interrupted momentum elsewhere, reduced his game time, and left Chelsea no closer to fixing a back line that has required constant surgery. If Como now provide the environment where Sarr can grow, good for them. Chelsea will be left wondering why they could not do the same.
Our View
From a Chelsea perspective, this report is frustrating because it follows a pattern we have seen too…
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