Chelsea want £20m for Tiemoue Bakayoko
According to the Sun, Chelsea are demanding £20m for out of favour midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko in the summer transfer window.
The French midfielder has spent the previous two seasons out on loan at AC Milan and then Monaco. He doesn’t appear to have a future at Stamford Bridge.
With him failing to impress, Chelsea are ready to take a hit on the 25-year-old and cut their losses. Bakayoko signed for Chelsea in 2017 for an impressive £35m.
Brought in by Antonio Conte, Bakayoko made 43 appearances in his first season despite being unimpressive. He found himself out of favour under Maurizio Sarri and was loaned out the very next season to Milan.
The Italians paid a £4.5m loan fee but decided against triggering the option of a permanent £32million signing at the end last season.
The trend looks to have continued under Frank Lampard with the Frenchman returning to Monaco on loan last summer. Bakayoko once again failed to impress, prompting Monaco to pass on signing the 25-year-old for £37.5million.
With the likes of N’Golo Kante, Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic, Ross Barkley, and Billy Gilmour all at the club, Bakayoko is surplus to requirements. He still has two years left on his £100,000-a-week contract.
Selling him will not just bolster our transfer budget but also free up considerable space in the wage budget.
In a further boost for prospective buyers, Bakayoko is also ready to take a pay cut to move elsewhere. Milan has shown interest in him but value him at a comparatively lower £13.5m.
The Italians hope to reach a compromise with Chelsea that will see them get their man for £15m.
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Bakayoko was an excellent player at Monaco and much was expected of him at the Bridge. He has however failed to deliver and has often been unable to cope with the pace and power of the Premier League.
A move away will be the best solution for everyone involved.