Former Chelsea midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko has opened up about his departure from the English club after the 2022-23 season. After spending six years with the Blues, the former France international opted to depart as a free agent last summer.
Chelsea made a significant investment of around £40 million to acquire Bakayoko from AS Monaco, and he initially showed promise with an impressive debut against Tottenham Hotspur. However, his form declined notably over time, leading to a string of disappointing performances.
Following the departure of Antonio Conte, Maurizio Sarri took charge at Stamford Bridge, and Bakayoko found himself out of favor under the new manager’s system. In an interview with L’Equipe, the 29-year-old revealed that Sarri never communicated with him during his tenure.
“I was very reluctant to leave Monaco. I thought I’d stay in France and join the best, PSG.
But I always wanted to gain experience abroad, so when Chelsea, my favorite club after PSG, came calling, it was hard to turn them down.
Antonio Conte wanted me and had followed me when he was at Juventus. We finished fifth in the league and won the Cup. I take a lot of positives from my season,” Bakayoko shared.
“Then Maurizio Sarri arrived with Jorginho, and he didn’t speak to me. I knew I had to leave. How can I describe my experience at Chelsea? Sometimes I sit on my sofa, think about my career, and say to myself: ‘What was the problem?’”
Bakayoko’s Chelsea appearances dwindled significantly after Conte’s departure, and he featured only 43 times during his six-year stint with the club. He was released from his contract last year and subsequently returned to France to join FC Lorient.
