Are Manchester United set to beat Chelsea to the signing of yet another superstar?
Antonio Conte will not be happy after hearing this
What’s the story?
Manchester United have only just completed the signing of Romelu Lukaku from Everton for an initial fee of £75 million, beating his former employers Chelsea to his signature and it appears that they are not satisfied with just that. According to the English media, especially Daily Star and Daily Mail, the Old Trafford outfit are set to hijack yet another transfer deal of the Blues, having agreed a fee in the region of £40m with Ligue 1 champions AS Monaco for the services of Tiemoue Bakayoko.
In case you didn’t know…
Tiemoue Bakayoko has established himself as a combative and no nonsense midfielder during AS Monaco’s incredible 2016/17 season, in which the Stade Louis II side brought an end to Paris Saint-Germain’s hegemony in Ligue 1, as they usurped their cash-rich opponents to the league title, while also reaching the semi-final of the UEFA Champions League.
Bakayoko was one of the constant fixtures in Leonardo Jardim’s young side and racked up 51 appearances during the course of the season. The 22-year-old has long been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge but it appears that a minor knee injury, which required a keyhole surgery and had proved to be a stumbling block for a medical of the Frenchman, has allowed Manchester United to outbid their league rivals Chelsea, once again.
The heart of the matter
The Red Devils were heavily linked with a move for Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic, while the Blues were reportedly close to signing Bakayoko. However, a knee surgery to the 22-year-old delayed any proposed medical with the Stamford Bridge outfit and after the Lukaku snub, Chelsea are in no mood to do business with Manchester United.
This forced Jose Mourinho’s hands, as he could no longer look forward to a reunion with Matic, thereby shifting his focus to Bakayoko. According to the latest reports, Manchester United have tabled an offer in excess of £40m for the defensive midfielder, which is much more than the £37m one submitted by Chelsea. The Blues have been given the opportunity to improve their bid, but as of now it is the Red Devils who are in pole position to sign the Frenchman.
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Author’s Take
Manchester United need steel in their midfield and Bakayoko can provide it. The Frenchman can sit back and shield the defenders while also thwarting attacks of the opponent, proving to be the ideal foil for Paul Pogba, who can thrive in an advanced role without having to worry about defending.
While the deal makes sense for Manchester United, and will be an incredible news for the club and the fans, it is the second blow that Chelsea have suffered in a matter of few days, having lost the race to sign Romelu Lukaku.
Antonio Conte is said to be extremely unhappy at missing out on Lukaku and if the Blues are beaten to the signature of Bakayoko also, one can only imagine what will happen at the London outfit’s training ground.
