Chelsea flop Tiemoue Bakayoko has revealed his desire to stay at AC Milan rather than return to Stamford Bridge at the end of his loan spell with the Italian club.
After a terrible debut season in the Premier League, Bakayoko was shipped out to Milan on loan, where he has rediscovered the form which made Chelsea pay £40million to sign him from Monaco in 2017.
Despite a rocky start to life in Serie A, Bakayoko has established himself as a key member of Gennaro Gattuso’s squad, and the Frenchman is keen to make his loan switch a permanent one at the end of the season.
In an interview with RMC Sport, the Frenchman said: “We’re waiting for the end of the season. I’m under contract with Chelsea, but I’m very happy at Milan and I’d like to continue with them.
“It was difficult at the start, also because of the language. Today things are going much better, both on the field and in everyday life, and I’m very happy.
“As for the future, the objective is to finish in the top four with Milan and have a surprise: a recall to the national team.”
The midfielder still has three years left on his Chelsea deal, and his future in west London could depend on the fate of under-fire boss Maurizio Sarri.
The Italian coach immediately decided Bakayoko was not part of his long-term plans, but should he be sacked, a new manager might think twice before letting the 24-year-old leave.
He has 19 league appearances for AC Milan this season, who currently sit fourth in the Italian top-flight.