Everton, Newcastle United and West Ham United are reportedly keen on signing Malang Sarr on loan from Chelsea this month.
According to a report by French outlet Foot Mercato, Malang Sarr is becoming a highly coveted defender heading into the final week of the January transfer window. Everton, Newcastle United and West Ham United are all keen on signing the French defender on loan from Chelsea, with Leicester City also in contention to sign him.
Malang Sarr joined Chelsea from OGC Nice in August 2020 but has taken some time to get going at Stamford Bridge. The west Londoners sent out the 22-year-old on loan to FC Porto for the 2020/21 season, and his stint with the Portuguese giants was a mixed bag. Upon returning to Chelsea last summer, Sarr was touted to embark on another temporary stint away from Chelsea.
But a move did not materialise, and the youngster has slowly grown in stature at Chelsea. Sarr has made only nine appearances for Chelsea this season, but some of his recent performances have been mighty impressive. The French defender’s exploits have duly been noted by several clubs across Europe, with Premier League clubs Everton, Newcastle United and West Ham United interested.
At Everton, the defensive displays have left a lot to be desired, with Michael Keane, Ben Godfrey and Mason Holgate failing to impress. In addition, Yerry Mina’s future is shrouded in uncertainty, with the Colombian defender coincidentally linked with Newcastle United. Either way, signing a centre-back is imperative for Everton, with Sarr a viable target.
As for Newcastle United, the Magpies have been heavily linked with a gamut of centre-backs this month as the new owners look to improve the first-team squad enough to stave off relegation come May. To that end, Diego Carlos has recently become the priority target for Newcastle, with personal terms believed to be a foregone conclusion. But Sarr is also a solid fallback option if they cannot sign the other players on their shortlist.
Of all the prospective suitors, the Chelsea defender has been already linked heavily with West Ham. Like the rest of their rivals, the Hammers are keen on signing a centre-back this month, as Angelo Ogbonna’s season has come to a premature end due to a long-term knee injury, while Kurt Zouma has also been sidelined for several weeks.
As a result, the east Londoners need to sign a central defender this month, with Sarr a viable target. Apart from Everton, Newcastle and West Ham, the 22-year-old Chelsea defender is also a target for Leicester City, who have been a mess defensively this term. But Chelsea could block all approaches for the Frenchman in the wake of his impressive performances, meaning his suitors will have to set their sights elsewhere.
