Chelsea sends Bakayoko back to Monaco on loan

Tiemoue Bakayoko will spend the rest of the season with Monaco, which reportedly has the option to buy the player back from Chelsea.

Published : Sep 01, 2019 09:54 IST

Tiemoue Bakayoko in action for Chelsea
Tiemoue Bakayoko in action for Chelsea
lightbox-info

Tiemoue Bakayoko in action for Chelsea

Chelsea midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko has rejoined Monaco on a season-long loan deal.

The 25-year-old returns to Ligue 1 just two years on from a reported £40million move from the Principality club.

Monaco has the option to sign Bakayoko on a permanent deal, with the prospective fee reportedly set at £38m (€42.5m).

"I am very happy to come back to AS Monaco, a club with which I keep fantastic memories," he told Monaco's website.

"Since 2017, I had the opportunity to have two very good experiences with Chelsea and [AC] Milan.

"I hope to be able to integrate as quickly as possible in this collective, in an environment that I already know, and especially with the desire to bring to the group what I know how to make a good season."

Vice president Oleg Petrov said: "We are delighted to welcome Tiemoue Bakayoko to AS Monaco.

"Tiemoue has demonstrated his quality at the highest level in France but also in England and Italy. He returns to a club and a championship that he knows well. His qualities and experience are additional assets for the team."

Bakayoko made 43 appearances in all competitions under Antonio Conte in 2017-18, including in the FA Cup final win over Manchester United.

However, he was considered expendable by Maurizio Sarri and spent last season on loan with Milan.

 

Head coach Frank Lampard said on Saturday that the France international was due to head out on a temporary deal "to try to bring himself back to where he wants to be".

Bakayoko played a key role in Monaco's hugely successful 2016-17 season, in which it won Ligue 1 and reached the semifinals of the Champions League.

The club encouraged Kylian Mbappe and Benjamin Mendy to follow suit and return to Stade Louis II by posting a cheeky tweet as it announced Bakayoko's arrival.

Monaco had earlier confirmed that Adama Traore has joined Metz on loan for the remainder of the season.

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment