Former Chelsea defender Malang Sarr joins NEOM SC on a free transfer..

NEOM SC announced on Wednesday via its official X (Twitter) account that former Chelsea French defender Malang Sarr has joined the club on a free transfer.

According to the Saudi Pro League club's official statement, Sarr has signed on a short-term two-year deal with the club which will only run until the summer of 2028.

About Malang Sarr

The 27-year-old Malang Sarr was born on January 23, 1999, in Nice, France. He is 1.83 meters tall and primarily plays as a center-back but can also play as a left-back. He holds dual French and Senegalese citizenship.

Sarr joined Nice's youth academy at the age of six and scored on his first-team debut in August 2016 at the age of 17, becoming one of the youngest players to score on his debut in Ligue 1 history.

During his four-year spell at Nice, Sarr's outstanding performances made him one of the most promising young defenders in France and even across Europe.

After his contract expired in the summer of 2020, Sarr joined Chelsea on a free transfer, but was immediately loaned-out to Porto.

Upon returning the following summer, Sarr officially became a member of Chelsea's first-team.

Despite limited playing time, Sarr still helped the Premier League giants win the FIFA Club World Cup and reach the finals of the Carabao Cup and FA Cup.

In August 2022, Sarr was loaned-out to Monaco.

The following summer, following new owner Todd Boehly's takeover, Sarr was inexplicably frozen out of the Chelsea squad.

During this spell, Le Havre attempted to sign him on-loan with an option to buy, but the Blues deliberately obstructed the deal, ultimately causing it to fall through and drawing fierce criticism.

After terminating his contract with Chelsea in the summer of 2024, Sarr joined Lens on a free transfer.

During his two-year spell with Les Sang et Or, Sarr made 62 appearances across all competitions for the Ligue 1 dark horse, providing one assist and winning the Coupe de France once.

Image source: Internet / NEOM SC Official X (Twitter) account