Tiemoue Bakayoko in action for AS Monaco (Getty Images)
According to claims from Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Football London), AC Milan are eyeing a cut-price deal for Chelsea outcast Tiemoue Bakayoko.
The 26-year-old is among those who could be shown the door this summer after spending the last two seasons on loan at AC Milan and Monaco. Bakayoko was previously valued at €30m by Chelsea, but if the report is to be believed, Milan could land him for much cheaper.
As per the source, Bakayoko could return to the San Siro for a loan fee between €2m and €3m, with the Rossoneri holding the option to buy him permanently for €20million next summer.
Born in Paris, France, to parents of Ivorian descent, Bakayoko turned professional with Rennes before completing a move to Monaco in the summer of 2014.
The 26-year-old went on to establish himself as one of the best defensive midfielders in Ligue 1 over the course of his spell at Monaco while also playing a key role in the club’s march to the semi-final of the 2016-17 UEFA Champions League.
Having won the domestic title with Monaco, Bakayoko earned a move to PL giants Chelsea back in the summer of 2017. He made 29 league appearances for the Blues in his debut season under Antonio Conte but struggled to get to grips with the pace of the English game.
Bakayoko hasn’t really had a second crack of the whip at Chelsea following his lacklustre debut campaign, having subsequently spent time on loan at AC Milan and Monaco.
Chelsea already have a surplus of midfielders in their squad at the moment and the door seems pretty much closed for Bakayoko to make a fairytale return to the mix. However, he remains a quality defensive midfielder capable of delivering the goods at the highest level, as evident from the Frenchman’s impressive track record at Monaco and AC Milan.
But, considering that Bakayoko hasn’t played a single competitive game for the Blues over the past couple of seasons and doesn’t feature in Lampard’s plans moving forward, a permanent move away from West London would be the best settlement for all parties involved.
The 26-year-old impressed while on loan at Milan during the 2018-19 campaign after struggling to find his feet at Chelsea. Hence, a permanent move back to the San Siro should allow him to take his career forward in the right direction.
At the same time, Chelsea will be freeing up space on their wage bill by getting rid of a player who is nowhere near the first-team picture at the moment.
Tiemoue Bakayoko has two years remaining on his contract at Chelsea, meaning that it’s high time for the Blues to cut their losses on the flop midfielder this summer.
A loan move back to Milan sounds like good business for both the club and the player. But Chelsea need to make sure that they include an obligation to buy clause rather than an optional one in the agreement.
Lampard needs to balance the books after some heavy spending this summer, And the 26-year-old’s sale should help the manager in that regard.