The last couple of weeks for Chelsea have been topsy-turvy to say the least, with the last couple of outings falling way below the standards of manager Enzo Maresca.

Expectations were heightened after the summer recruitment, which saw just shy of £300m of new talent making the move to Stamford Bridge during the off-season.

However, in the first six outings, the Blues have been victorious twice, with their last win coming way back at the end of August with a 2-0 win over London rivals Fulham.

The Italian will no doubt want to correct such a slump, which has seen his side lose both of their last two Premier League outings to both Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion.

Such attempts haven’t been aided by the side’s disciplinary record in recent outings, with the side collecting two red cards in each of the last two matches in England’s top-flight.

Trevoh Chalobah's worrying start to 2025/26 for Chelsea

After Robert Sanchez’s dismissal against Manchester United last week, centre-back Trevoh Chalobah became the second Chelsea player in as many matches to be sent for an early bath.

The centre-back started his eighth consecutive game of the 2025/26 campaign, but once again failed to deliver – even before his straight red card against Fabian Hurzeler’s side.

The England international was adjudged to have slipped Diego Gomez whilst the attacker was through on goal, leading to a VAR intervention

and his subsequent dismissal.

However, up until he left the field after 53 minutes, he struggled to have the desired effect, failing to win any of the duels he entered whilst also failing to make a single tackle.

The 26-year-old certainly cost the side the three points in West London, with the Blues still struggling with finding their best partnership at the heart of the backline.

As a result, the club may have made a mistake in allowing one player to depart – with the former first team member reaching the next level in his career after leaving the club.

The former Chelsea star who’s now better than Chalobah

Given the sheer volume of players turned over at Chelsea over the last couple of years, it’s no surprise that players who have been offloaded have managed to star elsewhere.

Since Todd Boehly arrived back in May 2022, the Blues have spent upwards of £1.4b on new additions to help them rise up the Premier League table in the near future.

However, in an attempt to strengthen, players have also had to make way to help balance the books and lessen the risk of being hit with any punishment for breaking PSR rules.

In the summer of 2024, numerous players were sacrificed by new boss Maresca, one of whom was centre-back Malang Sarr, who departed on a free transfer to join French side Lens.

He originally joined on a free transfer from Nice back in the summer of 2020, arriving with a lot of hype given his four-year stint in the first team in Ligue 1.

However, injuries and lack of faith from the manager saw him rapidly fall down the pecking order, subsequently making just 21 appearances for the Blues.

As a result, the 26-year-old would return to his homeland, with Sarr resurrecting his once promising career with Lens over the last couple of seasons.

He’s featured in every minute of the league campaign in 2025/26 to date, subsequently managing to outperform current first-team star Chalobah in the process.

Games played

5

Minutes played

450

Pass accuracy

88%

Tackles won

1.8

Duels won

68%

Aerials won

65%

Interceptions made

2.4

Recoveries made

4.4

Sarr, who’s been labelled “incredible” by one analyst, has won more tackles per 90, whilst also winning more aerial duels – offering a more dominant option to Maresca had he been kept on the books.

The Frenchman has also completed more of the passes he’s attempted, arguably offering a more rounded ball-playing option – something which is vital in the Italian’s current system.

To top off his dominance over the England international, he’s also made more clearances and interceptions per 90 – further showcasing his incredible talents out of possession.

Such numbers highlight the superb rise Sarr has endured over the last few years, with his move to Lens undoubtedly being a success after his failure at Stamford Bridge.

The decision to allow him to depart now appears to be a questionable one, with the Blues’ loss now the French side’s gain given his tremendous form over recent times.