Ex-Chelsea ace 'dragged from restaurant and assaulted' with friends frozen in horror

The former Chelsea defender was allegedly dragged aside whilst enjoying a meal with team-mates on a training camp and assaulted

Ex-Chelsea defender Malang Sarr was allegedly assaulted whilst visiting Marbella on a pre-season training camp in July. The Senegal star, now playing for Saudi Arabian side NEOM SC, is said to have been attacked at the team hotel.

Sarr, 27, was under contract at Stamford Bridge between 2020 and 2024, making just 21 appearances. The centre-back spent loan spells with Porto and Monaco from Chelsea before leaving the club two years ago. He signed for RC Lens as a free agent.

Following a prominent spell back in France, where he made over 60 appearances, Sarr was out of contract this summer and signed a three-year deal with NEOM SC in the Middle East. The deal is worth a reported £12.8million in net salary.

Sarr is alleged to have negotiated the terms of this contract without an intermediary. Reports from France claim this sparked a confrontation in July led by a disgruntled former advisor.

On July 10, Sarr and NEOM SC embarked on a training camp in Malaga. They stayed at the Elba Estepona Gran Hotel & Thalasso Spa, a five-star hotel located just outside Marbella on the Costa del Sol.

One evening, Sarr was finishing dinner with two of his new team-mates when a black van pulled up outside the hotel. Reports claim that two individuals forced their way into the private players' area of the venue and approached Sarr.

They then allegedly dragged him from his seat and took him aside, where a loud conversation occurred. His team-mates were left frozen in shock at the table. Witnesses quoted by L'Equipe say Sarr was then struck during an argument, thought to be regarding his move to NEOM. Sarr denies that he was assaulted.

Because Sarr negotiated the terms of his move to the Middle East in just two days without an agent representing him, none of the agents that had been in the defender's circle over the summer received any commission. He was also pictured alongside a NEOM-mandated agent after signing.

One representative in particular was reported to be irked by this, as they had past dealings with NEOM. The agent's brother is even said to have approached Sarr in the days leading up to the incident at the hotel.

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It has been claimed that Sarr refused to give in to the demands of those who approached him, thereby shutting down any possibility of paying compensation.

He also denies that he left the hotel premises for a period with the aggressors, who fled after being warned that the area was under CCTV surveillance.

Spanish police soon arrived after the confrontation had died down and interviews were conducted. Those who witnessed the events reportedly refused to give statements and NEOM increased security. Sarr has not lodged any complaints and has started all seven of his new team's Saudi Pro League fixtures so far this season.

He received his first call-up to the Senegalese national team this month for 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Mozambique and Ethiopia, as well as a friendly against Comoros.