Tiemoue Bakayoko is still facing uncertainty over his future, and Chelsea are likely going to pay for failing to find permanent buyers this summer, according to Calciomercato.
To be fair, there is plenty of interest in the 26-year-old.
The Italian news outlet claims that Napoli and AC Milan — where Bakayoko has already time on loan — are both interested.
Even Juventus reportedly consider him as an alternative transfer target to Sassuolo’s Manuel Locatelli.
These Italian clubs, however, cannot afford to sign him on a permanent transfer, reportedly because of his high wages.
Calciomercato even claims that Bakayoko is likely going to leave Chelsea on loan in the last days of the transfer market.
Chronicle view
This is of course far from an ideal scenario for the Blues.
Not only that Bakayoko’s contract will expire next summer (2022), but the earlier claim suggests that Chelsea might have to partially cover his wages during the possible loan spell.
Last month, his agent Marco Busiello spoke about a possibility that Chelsea might insist on a one-year contract extension before sending him on loan.
This would allow Chelsea another opportunity to sell him next summer and potentially recoup, at least partially, the £40million they reportedly paid for him in 2017 (per Sky Sports).
But there is no guarantee that both Chelsea and Bakayoko will not be stuck in a similar situation again, just a year later.
As it stands, the best realistic scenario would probably be a one-year extension and a loan deal with an obligation to buy. That is asking a lot, though, and easier said than done.