Mamadou Sarr suffered an injury setback that could affect Chelsea's transfer plans. The 20-year-old was initially named in the starting XI for Sunday's pre-season friendly against Johor Darul Ta'zim, but was replaced by Olutayo Subuloye just before kick-off.
Late change explained
Chelsea issued a brief statement confirming the alteration: "There has been a late change to the Chelsea starting XI against Johor Darul Ta'zim, with Olutayo Subuloye coming into the defence in place of Mamadou Sarr. Sarr was initially included in the Blues' back line, but has now been replaced by Academy centre-back Subuloye."
No further update on the Senegal international's condition has been provided. The Blues concluded their pre-season tour in Malaysia with a 3-3 draw, a match that also saw Aaron Anselmino forced off before the half-hour mark.
Transfer implications
Standard Sport reported last month that Chelsea were keen to loan Sarr to a Premier League club this summer, though other options exist. The club had not ruled out keeping him, and Xabi Alonso was expected to hold talks with the former Strasbourg captain to decide his future. That decision now remains uncertain until the severity of his injury is known.
After the game, Chelsea confirmed Trevoh Chalobah's permanent transfer to Como for €30 million (£25.7m) plus up to €6 million (£5.1m) in add-ons. The club's statement said: "Trevoh Chalobah has completed a permanent transfer to Como, bringing his time as a Chelsea player to an end after nearly two decades with the Blues. Everyone at Chelsea would like to thank Trev for his years of loyal service and wish him the very best in his next chapter in Italy."
