At long last, after months of rumours, weeks of Instagram stories and days of writing the same stories over and over again, Tiemoue Bakayoko is a Chelsea player.
The midfielder arrives from Monaco after a season which saw them reach the semi finals of the Champions League, and the Frenchman will be hoping to go at least one step further with a Blues at some point in the future.
The 22 year old has all the physical tools needed by a top player, as well as good all round technical skills. Antonio Conte will see him as a rough diamond who he can hone into a potent weapon over the course of a few months on the training pitch. The Frenchman recently made his international debut alongside new club teammate N’Golo Kante, and he will form a dangerous duo in the heart of Chelsea’s new look midfield. In an interview, the former Rennes man said he has watched Chelsea since a young age, and that “moving was the natural thing for me because it is a club I loved very much in my childhood.”
#BakasBlue pic.twitter.com/7IjrP2Y2NZ
— T.Bakayoko14 (@TimoeB08) July 15, 2017
.@TimoeB08: ‘I am now looking forward to evolving under this fantastic coach and alongside so many great team-mates.’ #BakasBlue pic.twitter.com/AM3n5z91FJ
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) 15 July 2017
After last week saw the arrival of Antonio Rudiger, Chelsea fans will finally be a little placated by seeing some transfer action, although Manchester United and City are still some way ahead in terms of both their spending and the quantity of additions this summer.
Next up for the Blues is the glaring need for a striker with Diego Costa on the way out of the club, as well as reinforcements in the wing back positions and for Eden Hazard, who will miss the start of the season with a broken ankle. On the other hand, Nemanja Matic’s position now looks significantly weaker, and Manchester United may now have a clear path to signing the Serb.
