‘He even tried to recruit me at Tottenham’ – Sarr hits back at Pochettino snub

The anonymous – almost too literal – period of Malang Sarr (25) at Chelsea came to an end this summer. The Frenchman arrived on a free transfer from formative club OGC Nice in the summer of 2020, but never broke through and spent periods on loan at Porto and AS Monaco.

He returned from a challenging loan spell at the Principality club in the summer of 2023. When he returned to Chelsea, there was a new manager and a whole host of new players. Sarr literally got lost. “Who is that,” replied then Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino when asked about the Frenchman's future.

Sarr has responded to the brutal criticism from Pochettino, now manager of the USMNT. “I took it badly. It shouldn't have happened. He knew me. He even tried to sign me at Tottenham. I didn't ask for an explanation,” he told L'Équipe.

The former Nice defender did not play a single minute under Chelsea for Pochettino last season. Both left at the end of the campaign, with the former terminating his contract by mutual consent, allowing him to sign for RC Lens on a free transfer. Sarr nevertheless says he has “no regrets” about his time at Chelsea, even as he admits he “lost time” at Stamford Bridge.

Since joining Les Sang et Or, Sarr has made six appearances in all competitions and made his second start in Ligue 1 in Saturday's 3-1 defeat to Olympique de Marseille.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle