Tiemoue Bakayoko has been out on loan since a year after he swapped AS Monaco for Chelsea in 2017.
Last summer, the Blues allowed the 26-year-old to join Napoli on a temporary deal and a move saw him reunite with his former manager, Gennaro Gattuso.
The midfielder hasn’t missed a league tie for the Naples club when he has been eligible for selection. He netted his first goal for the Serie A side in their 2-1 league win over Udinese on Sunday.
Two days ago, we carried a report which included quotes from Bakayoko’s agent relayed by journalist Simone Guadagno. The player’s representative opened the door for his client to continue at Napoli beyond his loan spell.
Radio Kiss Kiss Napoli interviewed Pasquale Sensibile, a member of the Chelsea man’s entourage and asked about the possibility of Bakayoko extending his stay at the Italian club.
“Bakayoko is a leader. He has a highly respected résumé and his story speaks for him. A coach like Gattuso wanted him to be next to him,” Sensibile said, as quoted by Napoli Magazine.
“We are happy for the goal he scored against Udinese, not only for the goal scored, but also for what it adds to the player from a mental and character point of view.
“Future? The decisions are up to Napoli, Giuntoli and De Laurentiis. On our part, there is great openness and willingness for him to stay in Naples. [Federico] Pastorello has been doing this job for 25 years, combining the interests of the players with the strategies of the club.”
Bakayoko’s contract runs down in 18 months. Therefore, Chelsea will be forced to cash in from his sale after this season, in order to avoid the player leaving as a free agent in 2022.
