AC Milan positive progress on Bakayoko, want to include buy-option — report

Chelsea may already have at least one too many midfielders, and the club appears to be actively trying to get Mateo Kovacic, too, on loan from Real Madrid. So one, perhaps two of the current bunch will have leave at least temporarily.

The two most obvious candidates for that are Danny Drinkwater and Tiemoue Bakayoko, both signings from last summer who have not quite lived up to their transfer fees. While Drinkwater may yet find a new home in the Premier League, if Bakayoko’s to leave, he’s likely leaving for the continent.

AC Milan have been heavily linked with the 23-year-old, and according to Gianluca Di Marzio, are making “positive progress” in acquiring him before the Italian transfer window shuts — inspired by England, their window now also closes before the start of the season, but that still gives them an extra week compared to the Premier League.

Di Marzio claims that Milan are working on a loan-to-buy deal that would presumably include an up-front loan fee as well as a buy option of €30-35m, which would just about recoup Chelsea’s investment. Other reports however claim that Milan can’t actually afford all of Baka’s wages, which could certainly complicate both the loan as well as their desired buy-option arrangement.