Chelsea’s quest for squad reinforcements is only getting started, but it’s picking up steam fast, apparently, even if several of the targets linked probably won’t be viable transfers until the summer. The latest along those lines is young French midfielder Tiemoué Bakayoko, one of the season’s breakout European stars alongside the likes of Franck Kessié, who’s also been recently linked with the Blues.
The 22-year-old France youth international Bakayoko does not have Africa Cup of Nations commitments like Kessié, but he does have intentions to see out at least the season with Monaco. Despite that, according to French journalist Florian Fieschi, Chelsea are “preparing an enormous offer” to tempt him away.
C est Chelsea qui prépare une très grosse offre pour Tiemoué Bakayoko, joueur ne souhaite pas partir mais proposition à venir quand même
— Florian Fieschi (@FloFieschi) January 2, 2017
Previous rumors put Bakayoko’s price around €40m — 40 is the new 20 — which would certainly qualify as an enormous offer, especially if Bakayoko were to, say, be loaned back to Monaco for the remainder of the season.
In any case, this one’s a bit weirder than the Kessié rumors given Bakayoko’s apparent reluctance to leave Monaco right now, but perhaps it’s a situation worthy of tracking.