Forgotten ex-Chelsea midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko returns to football as he joins new club on free transfer
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FORGOTTEN ex-Chelsea midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko has returned to football with a new club.
The 29-year-old Frenchman was released by the Blues earlier this summer after a dismal two-year loan spell at AC Milan.
Bakayoko still had a year remaining on his Stamford Bridge contract.
But Chelsea preferred to terminate it mutually, allowing the FA Cup winner to seek out a free transfer.
Bakayoko had been tipped for a return to Italy as several clubs circled for his signature.
However, the powerhouse has instead opted for a stint in his homeland after agreeing a deal with Lorient.
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The Ligue 1 outfit wrapped up a move for Benjamin Mendy this summer after the ex-Man City left-back was cleared of rape charges.
And they have now handed Bakayoko a two-year contract, with a potential debut against Le Havre on the horizon this weekend.
Bakayoko said: “It is a great satisfaction for me to return to Ligue 1 with a club like Lorient, which is ambitious in its game and its future prospects.
“I can’t wait to meet my new team-mates and the fans who, from what I saw, strongly support their team.”
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Lorient, who finished tenth last season, have enjoyed a decent start this time round with one win and two draws.
Bakayoko previously played in France with Rennes and Monaco.
But it was a £40million move to Chelsea in 2017 that put him on the map.
Bakayoko’s sole season saw him play 43 times under Antonio Conte.
He then spent time on loan at Milan, Monaco and Napoli.
But he is unlikely to still be on the £120,000-a-week wages he was earning at Chelsea.
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