Chelsea nears £16.9m deal for defender Mamadou Sarr

Chelsea's attempts to strengthen their squad are complicated by the need to offload players before making new signings. The club is targeting Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho but faces competition from Napoli, which is close to agreeing personal terms with the winger. Meanwhile, Chelsea is reportedly set to sign 19-year-old Mamadou Sarr from sister club RC Strasbourg for around £17 million, although he will remain on loan at Strasbourg until the end of the season. Additionally, Chelsea has placed a £40 million price tag on Trevoh Chalobah, who returned from a loan at Crystal Palace, but the club is not willing to pay that amount. Crystal Palace, in turn, is demanding over £65 million for Marc Guehi, amid Chelsea's interest in re-signing the defender. The ongoing negotiations highlight the challenges Chelsea faces in the current transfer market, balancing outgoings and incomings effectively.