Chelsea confirm sale of forgotten signing as frantic Deadline Day looms

Fofana arrived at Stamford Bridge in January of 2023, but leaves having made just four first-team appearances totalling 113 minutes after an injury-affected stint in west London. He also played twice for the club’s Under-21 outfit.

He served loan spells with Union Berlin, Burnley, Goztepe, Fatih Karagumruk and Strasbourg while tied to the club, but never quite managed to make an impression on the first team.

The next step of Fofana’s career will take him to the Swiss Super League with 17-time champions Servette, who will sign the player for €2.5million (£3m) plus €1m (£857,000) in add-ons.

His exit comes on the eve of Deadline Day, where Chelsea are expected to sanction more departures.

David Datro Fofana made four first-team appearances in a two-and-a-half year spell at Chelsea

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Mykhailo Mudryk has not featured in a matchday squad for Chelsea yet this season and is still expected to leave the club on loan after he saw his doping suspension lifted earlier this summer.

Robert Sanchez’s future also remains in flux following the signing of Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa. The Argentine made his full Chelsea debut against Brighton on Sunday just hours after his signing was confirmed, while Sanchez was left out of the squad altogether following an unconvincing performance at Fulham the week before. The 21-year-old prospect Mike Penders was named to the bench instead.

Elsewhere, the Blues may push ahead with their midfield overhaul in the final hours of the window. It remains to be seen whether Enzo Fernandez will leave, but a clear contingency plan has been set up, with Roma’s Manu Kone, Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, and Monaco’s Lamine Camara all on their shortlist.