Tiemoue Bakayoko has reportedly arrived in London ahead of undergoing his medical this afternoon to seal a £35m move to Chelsea.
The 22-year-old is coming off the back of an impressive campaign with Ligue 1 champions Monaco, but he won’t be around next season to help them defend their crown.
As reported by the Evening Standard, as per RTL, the French international travelled to London on Monday to finalise the deal, and he will now undergo his medical on Tuesday to put the finishing touches to the move.
The report adds that he will pen a five-year deal with the Blues, while a transfer fee of £35.1m has been agreed between the two clubs as Antonio Conte looks set to welcome his first summer signing to Stamford Bridge in the coming hours.
The only reported issue was said to be over his wages, but that’s expected to be cleared up and it won’t be enough to scupper hopes of completing a deal this week.
Conte has faced an arguably frustrating wait to see the club make their moves in the transfer window so far this summer, but he’ll be hoping that the arrival of Bakayoko sparks more new signings in the coming weeks ahead of their pre-season tour next month.
Nevertheless, the Italian tactician will surely be delighted with the fact that he’s now likely to be able to pair Bakayoko with compatriot N’Golo Kante in a formidable midfield partnership, and it will be absolutely key to their chances of defending their Premier League title and making an impression on their return to the Champions League next season.
Bakayoko made 51 appearances in all competitions last season, scoring three goals and providing an assist to go along with his powerful and tenacious performances in midfield, and his departure will undoubtedly be a painful blow for Monaco regardless of the fact that they’ve signed Soualiho Meite to fill the void already.