According to a recent report by RMC Sport (translated by the Daily Express), Manchester United have contacted Chelsea to discuss the possibility of a move for their French midfielder Tiemoué Bakayoko this summer. The same source has also mentioned that the Red Devils will face stiff competition from Arsenal in pursuit of the former AS Monaco talent in this off-season.
Bakayoko’s Spell In The Italian Top-Flight
The French prospect experienced a mediocre season on loan at AC Milan. However, to his credit, he was a dominant presence in their midfield and also managed to secure regular first-team football at the San Siro in the previous campaign. Bakayoko featured in 42 matches for the Italian giants last season, scoring one goal while creating one assist across all competitions.
On the defensive end, the French defensive midfielder made an average of 2.3 tackles, 1.6 interceptions and 1.4 clearances per game in the Serie A (stats via whoscored). The Paris born midfield ace has also earned one international cap for France thus far.
A change of scenery this summer could help him reignite his career in English football as his spell at Stamford Bridge has been underwhelming and has left a lot to be desired.
What Will The French Talent Bring To Old Trafford?
Bakayoko is primarily a defensive midfielder who is an excellent tackler and knows how to make crucial interceptions for his team. He is physically dominant and shows a lot of aggression on the field. The Frenchman can distribute the ball accurately from midfield but lacks the cutting edge in the opposition half.
The addition of a player of Bakayoko’s defensive capabilities will undoubtedly add more bite to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s midfield at the Theatre of Dreams. The report by RMC Sport also claims that both Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba could leave the Red Devils before the start of the new campaign. Hence, Bakayoko might turn out to be an ideal replacement for Matic as he has all the skillset required to be a commanding presence in Man United’s midfield.
Thus, Solskjaer should try his best to secure the services of the Chelsea outcast but only if he loses Matic this summer. However, Bakayoko doesn’t have the qualities needed to be a potent offensive threat so he won’t be able to replicate Pogba’s contributions at Old Trafford next season. All in all, we would give this one a pass as there would be better options available in the transfer market.
