Chelsea are confident of securing a £35m deal with Monaco for key transfer target Tiemoue Bakayoko, reports The Daily Telegraph.
Antonio Conte’s side have been heavily linked with a move for Bakayoko since the start of last season but were expecting strong competition from Premier League rivals Manchester United.
However, Jose Mourinho’s side appear to have switched their attention to his Monaco teammate Fabinho to give Chelsea a clear run at the 22-year-old.
Chelsea have been locked in talks with Monaco for the last month and believe they have made a breakthrough in discussions over the club’s €43m (£38m) valuation and Bakayoko’s wage demands.
The Premier League champions now expect a deal to be a formality and for the central midfielder to undergo a medical after completing international duty with France later this week.
Bakayoko’s impending arrival will raise serious question marks about the future of Nemanja Matic, who has already been heavily linked with a move to United this summer.
In Ligue 1 last season only Benjamin Andre (214) and Julien Feret (195) have won possession in the midfield third more times than Bakayoko (165).
For more stats on Tiemoue Bakayoko, click here to visit his WhoScored player page
