Tiemoué Bakayoko admits he would love to play in Paris as Chelsea future remains in doubt
Chelsea midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko has admitted that he would love to play in Paris as his future with the Premier League club remains in doubt.
The midfielder spent last season on loan at Serie A giants AC Milan where the club narrowly missed out on qualification to next season’s Champions League.
Will Bakayoko remain with Chelsea?
- Tiemoue Bakayoko’s agent seemed to confirm that his client will be a Chelsea player at the beginning of next season.
- His time with AC Milan was mixed, with his relationship with former manager Gennaro Gattuso publically poor.
- Chelsea have an enforced transfer ban in place this summer, stopping them from signing any players.
- The midfielder’s contract expires in 2022.
- Bakayoko made 43 appearances for Chelsea in his opening season under former manager Antonio Conte.
The Frenchman – who is a Parisian by birth – is still not 100% certain of where his immediate footballing future lies after his year away from his Stamford Bridge employers.
What with Milan sporting director Leonardo Araújo – the man who brought the Blues midfielder to Milan in 2018 – recently departing the Italian club to join PSG in Ligue 1, rumours dictate that Bakayoko could join Araújo in Paris this summer.
Speaking to reporters, Bakayoko admitted that, at the very least, his heart will always belong to France’s capital and that one day he would love the opportunity to play his football back in his home city.
Commenting on Araújo’s influence across the past 12 months of his career and his love of Paris, he said: “Leonardo brought me to Milan, it was he who allowed me to recover my form by putting his trust in me.
“I have a lot of respect for him and Milan. I’m glad he’s coming to Paris, they’re the club of my heart and city.
“I’m sure he’ll do a good job. I wish him the best there. Of course I’d like to play in Paris, I won’t deny it.
“It means a lot to my loved ones and I. We’re real Parisians.”
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Last season, Bakayoko amassed 42 appearances across all competitions for AC Milan, with 31 of those taking place in Serie A. The midfielder scored just a single goal for the club, netting against arch-rivals Inter Milan in a 3-2 defeat in March.
That loss would prove vital, with Inter Milan sealing fourth place – the final Champions League spot – on the last day of the season, finishing just a single point ahead of AC Milan who ended their season in fifth position, ultimately costing Milan boss Gattuso his job.
