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The situation surrounding Tiemoué Bakayoko and a potential exit from Stamford Bridge this summer is growing by the day.

Last week, L’Equipe stated Monaco were ‘seriously considering’ the Chelsea midfielder to bolster their squad needing a defensive yet mobile player to help shore up that area of the pitch, with their former pupil currently struggling for time under Frank Lampard.

Left out yet again of his club’s squad at the weekend, the 25-year-old is clearly in need of an alternative, and the principality club have picked up the pace.

The same L’Equipe explained on Friday that a meeting was expected to take place between Monaco and Bakayoko’s representatives, and France Football on Monday now reveal the Ligue 1 side are working on his return as a ‘priority’.

That’s far stronger than just ‘considering’, but they also have a backup plan if that avenue ends up being a dead-end in Southampton’s Mario Lemina.

He’s not the priority, however, Bakayoko is, and with two weeks or so left in the transfer window, there’s still plenty of time to sort out the details.