Chelsea flop Bakayoko set to leave Blues for FREE

Cameron Smith

• 12 Jan 2023 15:30 GMT
• 3 min read

Chelsea flop Tiemoue Bakayoko could have his loan deal at AC Milan cut short this month in order for him to leave Stamford Bridge on a permanent deal.

The French midfielder joined the Blues for €40 million in 2017, but he hasn't played for the club for five years, and has instead headed out on four different loan spells, including back to AS Monaco for the 2019/20 campaign.

Chelsea want to get Bakayoko off their books permanently this month and are willing to cut his loan deal at San Siro short in order to let him leave on a free transfer, according to The Telegraph.

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The Blues are reportedly in talks with Milan over ending Bakayoko's loan spell at the club as they look to offload him permanently.

Chelsea are willing to then release Bakayoko, despite his contract at Stamford Bridge running until 2024, like they did with Ross Barkley last summer. Barkley joined Ligue 1 club OGC Nice on a free transfer in 2022.

Bakayoko's last game for Chelsea came in the 2018 FA Cup Final against Manchester United, where he played the full 90 minutes as the Blues were victorious.

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Bakayoko at Milan

Bakayoko featured semi-regularly at Milan last year, making 18 appearances in all competitions, but Stefano Pioli has been reluctant to give the Frenchman game time this campaign, and the once capped France international has not played a single game in any competition during the 2022/23 season.

One major reason why Bakayoko hasn't been favoured is because there is a clause in the loan deal, which began in 2021, that means Milan would have to sign him permanently this summer if he plays at least 45 minutes in 15 games this season.

Milan are therefore wary of his involvement as they don't want to purchase him permanently. Pioli has instead favoured Sandro Tonali and Ismael Bennacer, and Bakayoko hasn't had a look in, despite Franck Kessie's free transfer departure to Barcelona last summer.