After a slow start to the summer, things are heating up at Chelsea as they’ve reportedly agreed on a £39.7m fee with Monaco for Tiemoue Bakayoko.
With reports claiming that the Premier League champions have also struck a deal for Real Madrid right-back Danilo, with Alex Sandro to follow him, it appears as though Antonio Conte has finally landed his ideal midfield target and is ramping up the transfer activity.
According to The Guardian, a £39.7m deal has been agreed with a payment structure in place, while Bakayoko will now be expected to finally undergo his medical on Friday.
It’s added that the hold up over the 22-year-old’s transfer has been due to the fact that he underwent keyhole surgery on his knee at the end of last season, and so he isn’t expected back for another six weeks, while the payment structure of the deal was still being discussed too.
Nevertheless, that won’t stop him from carrying out the medical as Chelsea are reportedly confident that he won’t require further surgery and will continue with the transfer with the view of waiting for him to return to full fitness in September.
Naturally, they’re expected to take a close look at the knee on Friday as they won’t want to splash out almost £40m on a player, only to find out later that he may have long-term issues with it.
In turn, while it’s far from ideal having him miss pre-season and be well short of match fitness for the opening couple of months of the new Premier League campaign, Conte will undoubtedly be pleased to see the transfer finally concluded.
Bakayoko was fundamental in Monaco’s Ligue 1 title success last season, and his midfield partnership with N’Golo Kante next year will be pivotal to Chelsea’s hopes of achieving more success under Conte.
The Guardian add that his arrival will now likely push Nemanja Matic out, although Chelsea are keen to avoid selling him to a direct rival in Manchester United, with Jose Mourinho said to be keen on a reunion with the Serbian international.