Having won La Liga this season, Atlético Madrid will be making a few changes in their squad to try and ensure they can do it again next year.
One of the areas where movement is expected is in midfield, where Lucas Torreira was loaned from Arsenal to provide cover in Diego Simeone’s squad.
However, the Uruguayan will be returning to Arsenal, meaning the La Liga side need to replace him, and the man they have in mind, according to Foot Mercato, is Chelsea’s Tiemoué Bakayoko.
The Blues midfielder spent last season on loan at Napoli under Gennaro Gattuso, and while he started the whole thing strongly, it all went downhill in the second half of the season.
That, and the fact they have moved on with Luciano Spalletti as their manager, means he will not be bought and will return to Stamford Bridge.
Foot Mercato explain Atlético Madrid are ‘closely following’ the player’s situation, with Natalia Simeone, Diego’s sister and agent, trying to help in the deal.
Whether this is for a loan or a full transfer isn’t said, but if it were for the former, some kind of contract extension with Chelsea would need to be worked out for Bakayoko, as his current deal with the Blues expires in 2022.
