AC Milan edging closer to sign Chelsea midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko

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Updated: August 14, 2018
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Chelsea midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko has reportedly arrived in Italy for a medical ahead of his proposed loan switch to AC Milan. The 23-year-old managed 43 appearances for the club in all competitions. He started 25 games for the Blues in the Premier League, but now appears unlikely to play for them ever again.

Former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte signed Tiemoue Bakayoko as a replacement for the Manchester United-bound Nemanja Matic last year for £40 million from Ligue 1 outfit Monaco. However, the midfielder endured a tough debut season at the Stamford Bridge after a series of below-par displays and spiralled down the starting XI.

After being dismissed against West Brom in February, he was used more sparingly by Conte, although he did start four of the last five Premier League matches of the season and played the duration of the FA Cup final, in which Chelsea beat Manchester United 1-0.

His chances of survival at Chelsea looked extremely thin under Maurizio Sarri. The Italian coach has no shortage of wealth in the center of the park after the Blues roped in Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic from Napoli and Real Madrid respectively. Added to that, Ruben Loftus-Cheek's return to the club after a season-long loan spell at Crystal Palace meant increase competition for the ex-Monaco midfielder.

The Frenchman missed Chelsea's 3-0 win in the Premier League opener against Huddersfield Town, after being deemed as surplus to requirements by Sarri at the Stamford Bridge.

And now, in order to resuscitate his career, Bakayoko has finally set his heart on a season-long loan move to Italian giants AC Milan. The Rossoneri have an option to make the move permanent next summer for €40 million.