Chelsea midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko is set for another spell away from the club, with Napoli agreeing a loan fee with the Blues for his services.
According to Goal.com’s Nizaar Kinsella, Napoli are set to sign forgotten Chelsea midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko on a season-long loan deal, after agreeing a £4.5 million fee for the Frenchman’s services.
The 26-year-old Bakayoko joined Chelsea from AS Monaco in 2017 after having played an integral role in the Principality outfit’s surprise Ligue 1 title triumph in 2016/17. However, the midfielder could never establish himself into the first-team at Stamford Bridge under then manager Antonio Conte.
There's no option or obligation to buy, just a £4.5m loan fee. It came after PSG and AC Milan withdrew from talks after Chelsea's demands. #CFC https://t.co/Qbq9D5f0xT
— Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) October 4, 2020
The arrival of Maurizio Sarri in the Chelsea hotseat next summer saw Bakayoko being sent out on loan to Serie A giants AC Milan, where he had a mixed spell. Last season saw the Frenchman return to his roots, as he re-signed for AS Monaco and enjoyed a decent spell before the campaign was called off in France because of the pandemic.
Now back at Chelsea, Bakayoko is not a part of the plans under Frank Lampard, who as it is has a problem of plenty in the middle of the park. This has seen the Blues already loan Ross Barkley out to Aston Villa, while Ruben Loftus-Cheek could also be on the move.
And now Bakayoko, too, seems to be on his way out, albeit on another loan spell. Reports earlier this week confirmed that Napoli had emerged as front-runners to land the French international and now Kinsella has confirmed that the Partenopei have an agreement with Chelsea for his signing.
This development comes after Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan both opted to drop out of the race for the midfielder, having deemed Chelsea’s £30 million demand for a loan-to-buy deal excessive. (h/t The Sun)
Napoli, though, have managed to strike an agreement with the west London outfit, albeit it is one for just a season-long loan deal without an obligation to purchase. The Serie A giants will be paying a loan fee of £4.5 million to Chelsea for his services.
Bakayoko, till date, has made just 43 appearances for Chelsea, scoring three goals and registering three assists as well. The 26-year-old is all set to reunite with Gennaro Gattuso, who was the manager at AC Milan during the Frenchman’s loan stint. More exits could be on the cards from Stamford Bridge before the transfer window closes.