Technically, if Tiemoue Bakayoko joins Chelsea, he would become our second summer signing, but he would be the first for the first-team in what’s already looking like a busy and expensive transfer window around England and Europe.
Chelsea’s first signing in this transfer window was young Rangers academy prospect Billy Gilmour, but it will be a while before he even has a chance to be a factor in the first-team. Bakayoko, on the other hand, would be expected to challenge if not already slot in as the starter next to N’Golo Kante. The 22-year-old Monaco midfielder has been linked with Chelsea since January and now according to multiple reports, his transfer might actually be getting close to happening.
CLOSE : #Bakayoko should be the first signing of Chelsea. 5 year contract for 42M€. The player is waiting for the extension of Conte. #CFC
— Francois Piraux (@F8Piraux) May 31, 2017
I’m not sure if I follow the logic of waiting for Conte’s extension, but whatever. That won’t be long now, so Bakayoko’s arrival shouldn’t be too far off either.
There’s a similar report in the Independent from Miguel Delaney, with the added twist of a Nemanja Matic knock-on effect. Matic had been linked with Manchester United last summer, and now those have been resurrected as well.
A Bakayoko-Matic carousel: https://t.co/4quI8ErX7o
— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) May 31, 2017
Piraux puts Bakayoko’s price at €42m; Delaney puts it at £42m. Someone’s got their currency wrong! Either way, that’s just about the going rate for anybody decent these days, so if we truly want Bakayoko and think he’s a good fit for what Conte envisions in midfield, let’s get this done.