Monaco midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko has reportedly agreed on personal terms with Chelsea and will sign a four-year deal with the Blues.
The 22-year-old was an influential figure for the Ligue 1 champions last season, playing an important role in the heart of midfield for Leonardo Jardim’s side in their title success and run to the semi-finals of the Champions League.
With his whole career ahead of him and with plenty of room for improvement, he will now look to take the next step by signing with Chelsea, with Telefoot, as per The Sun, reporting that he has agreed on a four-year deal with the Premier League champions and will join them in a move worth £35m.
It’s reiterated in the report that it comes just days after reports claimed that Nemanja Matic had agreed on personal terms with Manchester United, while Bakayoko is said to have chosen Chelsea over United because he prefers to work with Antonio Conte over Jose Mourinho.
Further, the chance to form a formidable partnership in the Chelsea midfield alongside compatriot N’Golo Kante may have also played a role in his decision, and it looks more than likely that he will now be turning out at Stamford Bridge next season to replace Matic.
The wait will go on for official confirmation, but as predicted prior to the weekend, it was always assumed that he would continue talks up until Monday, at which point he would likely arrive in London for a medical and to complete his move next week, as per the report.
That still looks to be the case based on this latest update, and after weeks of frustration with regards to a lack of activity in the transfer market, Chelsea fans could be welcoming their first new face to the club in a matter of days as Conte kicks off the all-important push for reinforcements ahead of the new campaign.