Chelsea transfer news: David Datro Fofana loan exit confirmed as permanent clause decision revealed

Chelsea striker David Datro Fofana has been loaned to Turkish Super Lig side Fatih Karagumruk, who have revealed whether the agreement includes an option or obligation to buy.

The Ivory Coast international returned to Stamford Bridge in January following a brief spell with Goztepe, where he found the back of the net twice in nine appearances before suffering a serious knee injury.

Datro Fofana returned to Chelsea in January to continue his rehabilitation, but he is not part of Enzo Maresca's immediate plans, despite the recent injury to Liam Delap.

Instead, Joao Pedro and Marc Guiu - recalled from his Sunderland loan after a proposed return for Nicolas Jackson from Bayern Munich failed to materialise - will hold the fort centrally while Delap recovers from his hamstring problem.

The Premier League transfer window in England shut with Datro Fofana still at the club, but the 22-year-old was always expected to head out either on loan or permanently following his rehabilitation.

Datro Fofana loaned to Fatih Karagumruk as buy option confirmed

?⚫️David Datro Fofana https://t.co/f2USGpG2ts Fatih Karagümrük'te ✍?

Kulübümüz, Chelsea’nin 22 yaşındaki forvet oyuncusu David Fofana ile satın alma opsiyonlu 1 sezonluk kiralık olarak anlaşma sağladı.
Geçtiğimiz sezonun ilk devresinde Göztepe’de kiralık olarak oynayan Fildişi… pic.twitter.com/u7guyFQcAi
— Fatih Karagümrük SK (@karagumruk_sk) September 13, 2025

On Saturday afternoon, Chelsea confirmed that Datro Fofana had joined Karagumruk on a temporary basis, saying in a statement: "Chelsea forward David Datro Fofana has joined Turkish side Fatih Karagümrük S.K. on a season-long loan.

"The Ivory Coast international signed for the Blues from Molde in January 2023 and featured on four occasions during the remainder of that season. We look forward to supporting David throughout his time in Turkey. Good luck, David!"

In their own statement, Karagumruk confirmed that they have the option to make the striker's stay permanent at the end of the season, meaning that Datro Fofana could leave Chelsea without registering a single goal or assist.

The 2002-born attacker made the move to West London from Molde for £10.4m in January 2023, but he has only played four times for the Blues in all tournaments and has now been loaned out four times.

Datro Fofana also represented Union Berlin and Burnley in the 2023-24 season, netting four Premier League goals for the latter but failing to save them from relegation to the Championship.

The Ivory Coast international will be competing for minutes in the Fatih Karagumruk attack with Andre Gray, the former Watford and Burnley striker who joined the Turkish side on a free transfer in January.

How many players have left Chelsea this summer?

With Datro Fofana's exit now confirmed following the closure of the Super Lig transfer window, the Blues have now allowed 22 players - two full starting lineups - to leave the club either on loan or permanently during the summer.

Aaron Anselmino, Kendry Paez, Mike Penders, Jackson and Mamadou Sarr have also departed on loan, while Strasbourg new boy Ben Chilwell and Mallorca's Lucas Bergstrom were allowed to leave on free transfers.

Elsewhere, Chelsea brought in money for the likes of Noni Madueke, Joao Felix, Alfie Gilchrist, Christopher Nkunku, Marcus Bettinelli, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Bashir Humphreys, Carney Chukwuemeka, Armando Broja, Renato Veiga, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Lesley Ugochukwu and Djordje Petrovic.