Napoli in potential Tiémoué Bakayoko ‘tug-of-war’ with AC Milan — report

AC Milan are reportedly the club with the most concrete interest in signing Tiémoué Bakayoko, but others could be entering the picture as well. As per Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness and Tuttomercatoweb), new Napoli manager, Luciano Spalletti has requested his club to go back to Bakayoko, which could create a “tug-of-war” between the two Italian clubs.

The 26-year-old midfielder has spent time on loan at both clubs already — Napoli last season, Milan a couple season prior — both under the same manager, Gennaro Gattuso, who’s currently without a job after leaving Fiorentina. Napoli passed on their €18m “verbal agreement” option to sign Bakayoko last season, but are about to lose out to Arsenal in the race for Albert Sambi Lokonga of RSC Anderlecht, and are still in need of midfield reinforcements.

Bakayoko’s contract situation complicates this situation. A loan is unfeasible with just a year left on it, and while Chelsea may have an option to extend it (Gazzetta claim we can do so from January 2022 onwards), no one really wants to have to do that. Perhaps with two teams interested, someone will pay up.