Chelsea sign Malang Sarr as a free agent as ex-Nice defender pens a five-year deal

Chelsea’s rebuild for the 2020-21 season is well and truly taking shape after they announced the signing of defender Malang Sarr.

The 21-year-old is the club’s fourth buy of the summer and follows the arrival of Ben Chilwell the day before.

Sarr has signed a five-year deal with the Blues after leaving hometown club Nice earlier this window as a free agent.

The centre back will head straight out on loan, but Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia hailed the France Under-21 international as a ‘tremendous prospect’.

Chelsea remain close to completing a free transfer deal for 35-year-old Brazil defender Thiago Silva, with Bayer Leverkusen forward Kai Havertz still also edging towards a move.

‘The opportunity to sign Malang was one we could not miss,’ said Granovskaia.

‘He is a tremendous prospect and we will be monitoring him closely during his loan period, hoping he will soon be back at Chelsea. We are very happy to welcome him to the club today.’

A left-footed centre back who can operate at left back and in a back-three, Sarr racked up more than 100 appearances for Nice following his debut aged just 17.

Eligible to represent Senegal through his parents, Sarr has turned out for France from Under-16s to Under-21s, captaining the Under-18s.

He follows Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner and Ben Chilwell in joining Frank Lampard’s revolution at Stamford Bridge.