Midfielder To Complete £35m Chelsea Move Next Week After Snubbing Man Utd

Managers are now pressing ahead with their plans for the summer transfer window so we’ll bring you all the latest news and gossip from around the globe. Today, Tiemoue Bakayoko will join Chelsea after snubbing Man Utd…

Tiemoue Bakayoko will complete a proposed £35m move from Monaco to Chelsea next week after snubbing interest from Manchester United, according to L’Equipe via the Express.

Bakayoko has developed in to one of the best midfielders in French football since joining from Rennes three years ago and he played a starring role as the French outfit won their first Ligue 1 title since 2000.

The Express claim that the 22-year-old’s superb form in the middle of the park led to strong interest from the Premier League with Chelsea and Man Utd vying for his signature this summer.

Jose Mourinho is gearing-up for a busy few months and he’s in the market for a long-term replacement for Michael Carrick – who turns 36 next month – and Bakayoko was among the United bosses targets.

However, the Express are citing a report from L’Equipe that claims Bakayoko has snubbed the interest from United in favour of a move to Chelsea as he wants to play under Antonio Conte.

The French outlet states that the midfielder will complete his move to Stamford Bridge next week after the two clubs agreed a fee worth in the region of £35m with the player set to pen a five-year contract.

Conte is also expected to be active in the market as he looks to build a squad capable of competing in the Premier League and Champions League next season and a new central midfielder is thought to be a priority.

French football expert Julien Laurens says Bakayoko’s move is on the verge of completion and the player is understood to be excited by the prospect of working under Conte.

Laurens is quoted by the Express as telling ESPN:

“There’s only a few details left between Monaco and Chelsea for the transfer of Bakayoko. It was always on the cards really from very early on, he was their priority in midfield.

“Conte was always wanting to put Kante and Bakayoko together and I think for him, he had other clubs interested like Manchester United for example, but Chelsea was always the project that he was really keen on.

“Working with Conte, who obviously used to be a defensive midfielder, was very appealing for Bakayoko and he sees in Chelsea the great step higher for his future for his career.”

So it looks as though Bakayoko should complete his switch to west London at some point next week with the French international set to line-up alongside compatriot N’Golo Kante in midfield next season.

I think Bakayoko will prove to be a superb addition to the Chelsea squad but his arrival will cast further doubt over the future of Nemanja Matic with the Serbian international linked with a move to Old Trafford in recent weeks [via The Sun].

READ MORE –> Chelsea transfer news | Man Utd transfer news

It seems like the 28-year-old could be reunited with Mourinho at United in a strange twist that was only possible after Bakayoko had snubbed a proposed move to the Manchester giants.