Tiemoue Bakayoko, a player who was once a £40 million target for David Moyes, has been released by Chelsea, making him a free agent, informs the Hammer.News. There has been strong speculation linking Bakayoko with a move to West Ham in recent years.
The 28-year-old midfielder has reportedly been on Moyes’ radar since the summer of 2021. Chelsea acquired Bakayoko from Monaco for a substantial fee of around £40 million in the summer of 2017. However, his time at Stamford Bridge has been largely disappointing, as he has made only 24 Premier League appearances for the club. Bakayoko has had loan spells at Monaco, Napoli, and AC Milan over the past few years.
During the last Premier League home game of the season, the 6ft 2in midfielder was in attendance at the London Stadium, watching West Ham’s victory over Leeds. He even shared a picture online with the caption “My brothers Lucas Paqueta and Kurt Zouma.” Now that Bakayoko has been released by Chelsea, the player who was once a target for Moyes is available on a free transfer.
Chelsea has initiated the process of reducing the size of their excessively large squad. Despite the significant investment made in Bakayoko, he has been released by the club. Chelsea expressed gratitude to the player, who was reportedly targeted by West Ham, for his contributions. The new Chelsea manager, Mauricio Pochettino, clearly did not have any plans for Bakayoko due to the abundance of options at his disposal.
Although Bakayoko’s underwhelming performances at Chelsea have not showcased his abilities, West Ham might consider giving him a chance since he is now available for free. With Manuel Lanzini released and Declan Rice sold, the Hammers are in need of reinforcements in their central midfield department.