Stefano Pioli could transform Tiemoue Bakayoko into a very useful member of the squad next season if he undertakes the challenge, a journalist has proposed.
The Rossoneri are currently understood to be looking for a midfielder on the market to replace Franck Kessie, while Tommaso Pobega and Yacine Adli have returned from their respective loan spells, reducing the potential playing time available for Bakayoko even more.
The Chelsea loanee had a difficult season in 2021-22 during which he did not enjoy the faith of Pioli all that much and fell out of favour in particular in the second half of the season. The likes of Marseille and Galatasaray have been linked with taking over his loan.
The well-known Milan journalist Franco Ordine has written a column for MilanNews during which he proposed the idea that the Rossoneri might already have Franck Kessie’s replacement in the squad if Pioli can recover the form of Bakayoko.
“I keep reading about the craving to dislodge Bakayoko from Milanello. I think differently. And I believe that, by recovering the polish he had in the past during the second half of the season with Gattuso on the bench, he could become the ideal replacement for Kessie,” he began.
“Paired with Frank they made a solid midfield duo. It would not be a titanic undertaking for Pioli who has already recovered players (Florenzi, Rebic, Messias, Giroud) to their optimum performance, considered to be on their way to decline.
“It’s like Perisic at Inter. Do you remember the first judgment of Antonio Conte? Then he had the intellectual honesty to recognise the mistake and now he wanted him at Tottenham. Football is full of these changes and also of these changes in performance from one season to the next.”
I agree
The problem is that the dude body posture During matches shows he is not interested….I know bakayoko of the last loan he had with us, he even Benched kessie but the momentum got damaged when Milan could not get him fully, now it seems like the dude is too tired to build the momentum back unless we all support and give him enough matches, be will be awful at the beginning but jncebhe gets going, we will forget about midfeild issues…..dude is a tank but the tank starts slowly and I don’t know if Milan will be patient enough
Just like I keep saying here. We already have the right ingredient on Bakayoko. Just hope that he can level up his mentality (Pioli’s task too). It’s time for him to make himself settle on a club as well. After so many loan tossing here and there that didn’t do any good for him.
I have always thought of Bakayoko as Kessie replacement. Now is the time for him to step up his work rate and his enthusiasm to play for this great club, AC Milan. If he knows what is best for him his career now and future. I believe he can be refined if he is willing to sacrifice
Whoever this dude Franco Ordine is , he is talking nonsense.
4 different teams have tried to fix Bakayoko and failed, including Poli last year when he totally disregard Bakayoko.
He compares him with players like Florenzi, Messias, Rebic, Giroud. What did Pioli do to make those players better. Florenzi is a back up whose career was ruined by ACL.
Giroud is a great striker who is just old.
Rebic and Messias are the same players they were at the previous clubs.
And the Perisic example is even worst. Conte forced Perisic to switch from playing a classic winger to a wing back.
Bakayoko is just a bad player. In 6 years he has had onli 6 months where he looked as a decent player. Pioli is not a miracle worker
I agree that Bakayoko has not delivered what was expected from him. However his years at Rennes and Monaco were very good. Chelsea didn’t just pay that much money for him if he wouldn’t be able to play at a high level. He has shown what his capabilities are at Milan, so perhaps he should be given a last chance. I think this is the kind of player that gets better if he feels that the team needs him. It wouldn’t be a complete disaster if he stays and I hope he will get back to his best level if he does.
All he needs right now is full encouragement and support to recreate him back to his form, believe me, he will make mistakes but don’t let that weigh him down….. All he needs is time, trust, support and more playing time🙏. The real Bakayoko is better than kessie, to be frank… But loaning someone out on several occasions can affect someone physiologically
Let’s pray he’s correct….but seems like a long shot
If Chelsea agrees to a considerable discount for Bakayoko, you will witness the transformation. Milan doesn’t want to pay the agreed obligation sum, if Bakayoko plays a certain amount of games.
I am all for giving him a chance,but have watched him play, technically terrible, cannot make a pass instinctually, looks down at the ball which by then is too late, maybe just a confidence thing but last year it was almost a guarenteed turnover at midfield when he recieved the ball and attempted a pass. Then when Pioli put him in the last game of season versus Udinese I could not help but think, there goes our Scudetto.
Tôi đồng ý. Forza Milan.
His been given many chances but most of them disappointing.if pioli could not offload him then he should be benched.
Totallu agreeing with you. Bakayako is a player who needs to be supported mentally and it was the case during Gattuso’s period. He changed clubs a lot and also had many injuries during his second spell at Milan. I think given the actual situation of the market. It’d be better to put more faith on him. He could be the best solution