Chelsea’s failed bid for Monaco midfielder revealed

Word in L’Equipe this week is that Cheslea’s pursuit of Monaco midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko is very real.

According to Sport Witness, who carry a summary of the story from the French paper, there has not been an official bid for the midfielder, but talks between the clubs are “very advanced”.

It’s a position that Chelsea can improve in, and in the Champions League this season the 22 year has shown he’s got plenty of ability. It looks like a logical and feasible move for Antonio Conte this summer.

One interesting detail in the story is that Chelsea apparently already made a bid for Bakayoko some time ago when he was still a teenager. Apparently “the midfielder wasn’t keen enough to sign”,  and  it’s unclear exactly what that means. It seems that he may have rejected the chance to come to Stamford Bridge in order to make his break through to first team football easier. It looks like a smart strategy at this stage.

Chelsea News