Napoli agree loan deal for Chelsea outcast Bakayoko

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The midfielder is gearing up for his third temporary move in as many seasons, this time to the Stadio San Paolo

Tiemoue Bakayoko is set to return to Serie A in yet another loan move away from Chelsea, with the Blues agreeing to send their player to Napoli for the 2020-21 season.

The former Monaco midfielder spent the 2018-19 campaign under the tutelage of Gennaro Gattuso at AC Milan, making 42 appearances in all competitions for the Rossoneri.

And he is now gearing up for a reunion with Gattuso, who is currently in charge of Napoli's bid to wrest the Scudetto away from Juventus after nine straight titles for the Bianconeri.

Chelsea have accepted a loan move for Bakayoko which will span the entirety of the current campaign.

The player is expected in Naples by Sunday in order to carry out medical examinations, with the deal to be announced once he receives a clean bill of health from Napoli staff.

Bakayoko joined Chelsea back in the summer of 2017 from Monaco in a deal worth an estimated £40 million, having shone during his time at the Ligue 1 club.

But the France international had only a limited impact at Stamford Bridge, playing regularly in his first season in the Premier League under Antonio Conte before being declared surplus to requirements by his successor on the bench, fellow Italian Maurizio Sarri.

After just 12 months at the Blues, Bakayoko was farmed out to Milan, which was followed by a further loan move back to Monaco for the curtailed 2019-20 French season, which ended in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Neither side opted to take up the purchase option included in the loan deal, although Milan had been linked with a possible move for Bakayoko this summer, which was addressed by the player himself.

"Everyone knows that Milan is in my heart and I have good memories," he explained to Tuttosport when asked about the possibility of a San Siro return back in September.

"At the moment I'm a Chelsea player, then we'll see in football."

Paris Saint-Germain also emerged as a potential destination, but now Bakayoko will be tasked with proving to Gattuso he can deliver as he arrives to add further depth to Napoli's midfield.

2020-10-03 23:00:03

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