Fulham have reportedly missed out on Chelsea defender Malang Sarr, with AS Monaco on the verge of signing the centre-back on loan with an obligation to buy based on certain requirements.
According to the Athletic, the former OGC Nice star will join Monaco on loan for the season, with Sarr set to sign for the Ligue 1 side permanently for €15m (£12m) if the 23-year-old if conditions are met during the campaign, such as the number of appearances the youngster makes for the UEFA Champions League side.
Fulham were reportedly interested in signing Sarr, however, the west London side will now seemingly miss out on the defender with the Cottagers set to instead land West Ham defender Issa Diop, with Marco Silva’s side nearing a reported £15m deal for the centre-back.
Labelled as a ‘tremendous’ prospect by former Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia, Sarr joined the Premier League giants for free in 2020 with the defender going on to make 21 appearances in all competitions for the Blues last season, however, the centre-back has failed to impress Thomas Tuchel and supporters.
Indeed, the transfer as a whole always felt like Chelsea were looking to sell Sarr on for profit in the future, and the defender signing for Monaco with a £12m obligation to buy fits that narrative to a tee, with the 23-year-old likely to play regularly for the Ligue 1 giants this season.
Whilst Fulham would have been a good move for Sarr, there’s no denying that signing for Monaco is arguably a dream move for the French defender, with the Monegasques set for a big year under Philippe Clement that could feature another run in the Champions League.
Monaco are landing a great deal in signing Fulham target Sarr
Despite criticism from supporters, Sarr was impressive in his brief appearances for Chelsea last season, and for Monaco, beating Fulham to the defender is a great deal for the Ligue 1 side, who are signing a European-proven talent who has room to grow into something special.
With Monaco set for another European campaign, Sarr could become an important member of the squad in the coming months, and it won’t be long until the £12m obligation to buy clause is activated from Clement’s side, much to the dismay of Fulham.
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