Mamadou Sarr has realised one dream by signing for Chelsea, but already has his sights set on another as he aims to replicate the success achieved by some of his French predecessors at the Blues.
The latest man to cross the Channel to represent Chelsea officially completed his move from Strasbourg yesterday, arriving at Cobham for his first taste of his new home on Monday.
It was clear right from day one that Sarr has big ambitions for his time in west London too.
‘It’s simple. The dream is to win the Premier League and the Champions League with Chelsea,’ he declared.
The 19-year-old can take plenty of inspiration for reaching those goals from those who came before him at Stamford Bridge. Many of the greatest successes in Chelsea’s history have come with French players or French-speaking players with close links to the country right at the heart of the action.
That fact is not lost on Sarr, as he shares his strongest memories of watching the Blues from afar, before coming into the fold this week.
‘When Chelsea won the Champions League in 2021, there was the performance of [N’Golo] Kante and so many players. I remember the Champions League in 2012 with [Didier] Drogba, and then winning matches with [Eden] Hazard after that.
‘I admired Kante of course. There is [Claude] Makelele too. And there are Francophones like [Michael] Essien, Drogba, Hazard. The best for me is Kante but there are so many Chelsea players I remember admiring. Frank Lampard, Ramires…’
Sarr spent last season helping Strasbourg to a seventh-place finish in Ligue 1 and a return to European football, starring alongside Andrey Santos and Djordje Petrovic, who both spent the campaign on loan there from Chelsea.
They are not the only familiar faces for Sarr at the Blues either, as he went toe-to-toe with Romeo Lavia during his own loan spell with Belgian side Molenbeek, and came through the youth ranks with Malo Gusto.
‘I know Malo well as I was at school with him at Lyon,’ Sarr said. ‘I know Andrey (Santos) and Djordje (Petrovic). I know Romeo a bit. I played against him, we spoke a bit and he’s a good guy. I spoke with Malo before coming here, and Romeo a bit, and Andrey and Djordje.’
Another important voice for the teenager when he weighed up his potential move to England was his father. An accomplished footballer himself, Pape Sarr had a long career in France, primarily with Saint-Etienne and Lens.
Sarr senior also earned 54 international caps for Senegal and was part of the team which reached the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals and Africa Cup of Nations final in 2002, meaning Mamadou has plenty of experience on hand when he needs some words of wisdom.
Sarr said: ‘He was important for me because he played football. He gave me lots of advice and told me what to do. He was very close to me on a football level.’
However, the 19-year-old’s journey has now taken a different path to that of his father, as he leaves France for England and the chance to represent one of the biggest clubs around on the biggest stages of them all.
As we prepare to depart for the USA and the FIFA Club World Cup, prior to the start of the new Premier League campaign and our return to the Champions League in 2025/26, the reminders of Chelsea’s success dotted around Cobham have brought the magnitude of his move home for our new signing.
‘I feel really good, it’s like a dream for me,’ concluded Sarr. ‘Since I was young I dreamed of playing for a club like this. Chelsea are one of the biggest clubs in the world and I am very happy.
‘For me, Chelsea is the best club in London, one of the best clubs in England. Chelsea have a good project in place for young players. The supporters, the club, it’s history and the stadium are all fantastic. It’s an iconic club with a full history.
‘It was a dream come true when I saw the badge everywhere, the badge I used to see playing FIFA before – I realised where I am and who I will train with. I have a good impression of Cobham. It’s very big, a beautiful training centre. The people have been very kind and have welcomed me. It’s just a dream come true.’