Chelsea Midfielder Set for Shock Exit After Just Five Months at Stamford Bridge
Mathis Amougou is set to move to Chelsea's affiliated club Strasbourg on a permanent transfer, despite having only joined the Blues just months ago in February.
The 19-year-old midfielder arrived at Chelsea from Saint-Étienne in a deal worth around £12.5 million but managed only two first-team appearances during his brief stint at the club. While a temporary loan move was anticipated for the upcoming 2025–26 season, particularly after being left out of the FIFA Club World Cup roster, the young player will now depart Stamford Bridge on a permanent basis.
According to The Athletic, Amougou will make the switch to Strasbourg, which operates under the same ownership group BlueCo as Chelsea, for an undisclosed transfer fee as the player was keen to return to French football.
The move comes as Chelsea look to generate revenue following another period of substantial transfer expenditure, with Amougou's departure helping to balance their financial accounts. The London club have already brought in six new signings this summer for a combined fee of approximately £201 million, highlighted by the £60 million acquisition of João Pedro and the £55 million purchase of Jamie Gittens.
Strasbourg are also reportedly close to securing another Chelsea academy product in Ishé Samuels-Smith, who is expected to join the French outfit for £8 million. The pathway between Stamford Bridge and Strasbourg has seen several players make the move, including Caleb Wiley, Diego Moreira, Andrey Santos, and Djordje Petrović in recent transfer windows, with Kendry Páez and Mike Penders potentially following suit next season.
In a reverse transaction, Chelsea acquired Mamadou Sarr from their sister club earlier this summer, investing £12 million in the 19-year-old defender. The young center-back has already made his Chelsea debut during the Club World Cup, featuring against Espérance de Tunis in the group phase.
Chelsea have successfully progressed to the Club World Cup final where they will meet European titleholders Paris Saint-Germain in the championship match on Sunday, July 13. Following the tournament, the team will head back to England for pre-season preparations ahead of the 2025–26 campaign, though players will be granted recovery time after their American expedition.