Chelsea have just published their retained and released list for this summer, revealing which players will let go and which are sticking around.
As usual it’s mostly youth players who have reached the end of their time at the club and are now free to move on and make a career elsewhere. There is one notable name in there though – Tiemoue Bakayoko.
He had one of the most bizarre Chelsea careers we can remember. Signed with the club on a high after a superb title winning season, the midfielder had the perfect profile to slot into a midfield next to N’Golo Kante and Cesc Fabregas. He played some great games in his first 6 months at the club too, but it all went horribly wrong, and we’ve rarely seen a downward spiral like his.
From helping Chelsea beat a strong Atletico side in Madrid, he had some torrid games through the winter and ended up being sent out on loan at the end of the season.
Since then he’s just not recovered at all – his loan spells have grown steadily less and less productive, and he has barely played a game for 18 months now. He has become the symbol of a terrible transfer and loan policy that sees players signed for £40m then allowed to leave for free a few years down the line.
It’s no surprise he’s been released – the question is what on earth comes next. We wish him the best whatever happens.
Who gives a crap? Honestly. The guy hasn’t played for us in how many years? I’m still looking for word one on a Chelsea player who scored a brace last night for his country, but I don’t think the writers have it in them to swallow their pride (and bias) to say anything good about an American Blue. Pathetic.