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100k-a-week flop not in Chelsea's Prem squad after Pochettino forgets all about him

Premier League squads for the 2023/24 campaign were confirmed on Thursday, and Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has a 100,000-a-week star set to sit out the first half of the season

[Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino looking angry]

Mauricio Pochettino 'forgot about' one Chelsea asset on 100,000 a week when naming his Premier League squad(Image: Michael Zemanek/REX/Shutterstock)

Chelsea are at risk of seeing 2million go down the drain this season after Mauricio Pochettino 'forgot' about one expensive asset at his disposal.

The Blues boss has confirmed his 25-man Premier League squad for the first half of the top-flight campaign, replete with some of the club's debatable signings from recent years. Chelsea made a concerted effort to clear their squad of certain expensive stars over the summer, though a new raft of high earners have since taken their places.

Just short of 400m was spent on new signings in Pochettino's first summer at Stamford Bridge, while the club brought in around 230m through player sales. Raheem Sterling and Enzo Fernandez are each earning in excess of 300,000 a week in west London, while Chelsea have no fewer than 11 players on 100,000 a week or more.

And one of those raking in six figures per week is poised to miss the entire first half of the season after Pochettino 'forgot' he even existed. Malang Sarr moved back to Cobham after spending last season on loan at Monaco, and the former Tottenham boss had to be reminded the Frenchman even existed after one journalist asked about his situation.

READ MORE: Pochettino 'doesn't trust' Chelsea flop Mudryk and thinks defender can do better job

I just wanted to ask about two players who have disappeared," came the reporter's question following Chelsea's 3-0 win over Luton last month. "Malang Sarr, who was on loan last season.

Pochettino's immediate response was telling as he answered with another question: "Who?" The journalist then followed up by repeating Sarr's name, as well as asking about academy product Jamie Cumming, who has spent the last 18 months on loan with MK Dons.

Oh my goodness," said Pochettino after a long pause before fumbling his attempt at Sarr's first name. "Malana Sarr and then Jamie? I don't know what I can tell you.

Who has been the worst-value signing for Chelsea during the Todd Boehly era? Let us know in the comments section below.

[Malang Sarr of Chelsea during a training session]

Malang Sarr has been left out of Chelsea's 25-man Premier League squad(Image: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)

[Malang Sarr on loan at Monaco]

The 24-year-old spent last season on loan at Monaco(Image: Serge Haouzi/FEP/Icon Sport via Getty Images)

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One could forgive the Argentinian for struggling to keep up with all the names coming and going from Stamford Bridge in recent months. Then again, Pochettino was almost two months into his Chelsea reign at the time and had an entire pre-season to get to grips with his players.

On a weekly wage of 100,000 a week, 24-year-old Sarr's wages will equate to around 2m of dead money in the five months between the start of the season and January. At that point, the player will either hope to get a move away from the club, or perhaps he'll have done enough by then to make Pochettino take a little more notice.

[Mauricio Pochettino of Chelsea during a press conference at Stamford Bridge]

Pochettino won't be able to use the defender in the league during the first half of the season

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It's a tough ask considering the likes of Thiago Silva, Levi Colwill, Axel Disasi, Trevoh Chalobah and Benoit Badiashile are each ahead of him in the pecking order. And that's without mentioning Wesley Fofana, though the former Leicester star could be out for the long haul after suffering another serious knee injury.

Monaco refused their option to sign Sarr at the end of his loan last term, while he joined Porto in a temporary spell prior to that. Thomas Tuchel previously gave the former France under-21 international a chance in his first team, playing a part in the side that won the FIFA Club World Cup in February 2022.

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