Chelsea thought they’d signed a long-term solution for their midfield when they paid Monaco $44 million to bring the then-22-year-old Tiemoue Bakayoko to Stamford Bridge in 2017. And it started well. Very well!In his first season, he made 43 appearances in all competitions, scoring three times and also lifted the FA Cup. But that was as good as it got. In the following season, he endured a noticeable dip in form, and he couldn’t hold down a place in the starting eleven anymore. He was loaned to AC Milan, Monaco, Napoli and then back to AC Milan, where he won the Serie A last season. ##NAJAVA_MECA_6512230##After spending the last few seasons out on loan, a permanent move away from Stamford Bridge is on the horizon for the 27-year-old. According to Foot Mercato, Bakayoko is most likely to join Ligue 1 side Marseille after the club agreed personal terms with the midfielder. 🚨 Tiémoué Bakayoko 🇫🇷 has reached an agreement to move to Marseille — President Pablo Longoria and ex-manager Jorge Sampaoli green lit the deal. But new boss Igor Tudor is currently BLOCKING the deal. #OM #CFC (via @Santi_J_FM🌕)— Football Transfers (@Transferzone00) July 17, 2022 But there is a significant obstacle to the deal. Marseille boss Igor Tudor doesn’t want Bakayoko. The former Verona tactician is said to be blocking the move as he has other priorities. It is now up to chief operative Pablo Longoria to convince Tudor. As always, OM is a mess. Meanwhile, Bakayoko made a rare start for Milan as Stefano Pioli’s team defeated Koln 2-1 in their opening summer friendly on Saturday. In the absence of numerous first-team stars, the Frenchman was allowed to plead his case. Did he do enough for Pioli to count on him when the competitive football arrives? No.
