Tiemoue Bakayoko sends message to Man United fans about summer signing
Tiemoue Bakayoko insists that he has no interest in trying to emulate Nemanja Matic at Chelsea
Tiemoue Bakyoko has insisted that he has no interest in trying to emulate Nemanja Matic at Chelsea after the Serbian midfielder joined Manchester United in the summer.
Antonio Conte raised some eyebrows with his decision to let Matic leave Chelsea and sign for Manchester United in the summer after he had played such a pivotal role in helping the Blues win the title last season.
Matic has slotted seamlessly into the Manchester United team since his transfer and has been earning plenty of praise for his performances for Jose Mourinho’s men.
Bakayoko, meanwhile, has been gradually adapting to the rigours of the Premier League since his move from Monaco in the summer.
There have been suggestions that Bakayoko has been brought in as a like-for-like replacement for Matic in the summer, but the French midfielder feels otherwise.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Bakayoko said: “I’m not here to do what Matic did.
“Matic is a player that I really like; he’s a very good footballer.
“I’m here to play my game, to try to implement what the coach asks, which means sticking tight to the opponents’ playmaker, getting forward when I can and, above all, controlling the ball well and anticipating the play.”
Chelsea return to League Cup action in midweek when they host Everton at Stamford Bridge in the fourth round.
The Blues were 4-2 winners over Watford in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon.
