Chelsea termination talks intensify as Liam Rosenior demands reunion with star he ‘could talk for hours about’
Chelsea are attempting to terminate the loan of Mamadou Sarr in the hopes of strengthening Liam Rosenior’s squad.
Levi Colwill is still unavailable after suffering an ACL injury in pre-season, and the Blues are yet to find defensive solidity in his absence.
As Chelsea beat Napoli 3-2 on Wednesday, Rosenior opted to play right-back Reece James in the centre of the defence, such is the dearth of quality among his options.
The 41-year-old has led his side to four consecutive wins across all competitions, and will be keen to strengthen this month ahead of a push towards the top four.
Chelsea terminated Raheem Sterling’s contract this week, and they will look to complete several more pieces of business before the deadline.
Chelsea intensify talks for Mamadou Sarr
Chelsea signed Sarr from sister club Strasbourg in the summer, a year after he had been bought from Lyon.
The defender had spent the second half of the season on loan with RWDM Brussels in the Belgian top flight, where he caught the attention of BlueCo.
After a strong season under Rosenior with Strasbourg, Chelsea decided to buy Sarr in a deal worth around £12million before immediately loaning him back.
However, Fabrice Hawkins reported on Saturday that Rosenior is now keen to bring the defender back to Stamford Bridge.
The Chelsea manager has spoken with Sarr, with discussions now intensifying between the parties to terminate his loan.
What Liam Rosenior said about Sarr will excite Chelsea fans
There is significant excitement surrounding Sarr in France, and with his nation, Senegal, as well.
The centre-back went to the Africa Cup of Nations and sat on the bench for five of the opening six games.
| Mamadou Sarr | vs Morocco |
| Minutes played | 120 |
| Accurate passes | 67/71 |
| Blocks | 2 |
| Clearances | 5 |
| Duels won | 2/6 |
When it came to the final against Morocco, however, Sarr started and played every single minute, including in extra time, as Senegal won a chaotic affair to lift the title.
But Chelsea fans will know very little about the 20-year-old, who made his debut for the Blues off the bench at the Club World Cup in June.
The same can not be said of Rosenior, however. Speaking in 2025, he said: “I could talk for hours about him. His nickname is Mamadou Rosenior, he’s my son.
“It’s scary to show such performances at 19 with such calm in the face of such strong teams. He just has to stay humble and calm and he will be a top player for sure.
“His temperament, his athleticism, his ability on the ball… he’s got everything you need to be a world-class centre-half.”
It appears as if Rosenior will now be able to get his hands back on Sarr, with Chelsea surely set to benefit.