Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has told summer signing Tiemoue Bakayoko to emulate N’Golo Kante in order to become a regular fixture in his first team.
The French international arrived from AS Monaco in the summer for £40 million but was recovering from a knee injury.
His injection into the Chelsea team has been slow but steady by Conte who wants to build a team with an identity, preferably with a powerful midfielder in the middle of it.
Bakayoko has started only two games this season since his transfer from the Ligue 1, a situation that can change if he builds his physicality and tactical awareness according to Conte.
I said many times about N’Golo last season that he could improve a lot with the ball. I think he’s working very hard to improve this weakness. But I think now he’s a complete player, he’s a top player. He always knows when he has the ball what he has to do. This is very important.
Baka without the ball is a really strong player, a physical player. You can feel him during the game. I think he can improve a lot with the ball.
He has a lot of room to improve in the tactical aspect. Also in the physical aspect. He’s working very well and he needs a bit more time than other players to understand our style of football very well.
Antonio Conte, Mirror
