Tiemoue Bakayoko will undergo a medical on Friday after travelling to London to finalise a £40 million move from Monaco to Chelsea, sources have told ESPN FC.
The 22-year-old's move to Stamford Bridge has been delayed for several weeks by the protracted nature of the talks between the two clubs, coupled with a lingering knee injury that has delayed his medical, but he is now set to be confirmed as Chelsea's third signing of the summer.
Antonio Conte had identified Bakayoko as a top target after watching him play a key role in Monaco's spectacular Ligue 1 triumph and run to the Champions League semifinals last season, and Chelsea's need for midfield reinforcements is more urgent after selling Nathaniel Chalobah to Watford for £5 million on Thursday.
Nemanja Matic has been training alone at Cobham and may also be allowed to leave this summer, though a proposed £40m move to Manchester United looks less likely after Romelu Lukaku's move to Old Trafford soured the relations between the two clubs.
Bakayoko posted a short Instagram video of his journey on the Eurostar to London on Thursday evening and another on Friday morning of him standing outside what appears to be the Chelsea Harbour hotel as he prepared to go to Cobham to finalise his transfer.
Bakayoko standing outside what appears to be the Chelsea Harbour hotel this morning #cfc pic.twitter.com/WoP62uIUkc
— Liam Twomey (@liam_twomey) July 14, 2017
Conte will be relieved to secure the signing of Bakayoko after a frustrating few weeks in the transfer market that has so far seen Willy Caballero and Antonio Rudiger become the only other senior arrivals at Stamford Bridge, while top attacking target and former player Lukaku instead signed for United.