Tiemoue Bakayoko leaves Chelsea to re-join Monaco on loan

Chelsea have confirmed that Tiemoue Bakayoko has joined Monaco on loan for the rest of the season.

The 25-year-old made 92 appearances for Monaco before completing a switch to Chelsea in 2017.

The France midfielder has struggled to make his mark at Stamford Bridge, though, and spent the entire 2018-19 campaign on loan with AC Milan.

Last week, it was reported that Monaco were still very much in the hunt to re-sign Bakayoko despite initially being told that Chelsea had other plans for the Frenchman.

The principality outfit have now officially signed the former Rennes youngster on loan until the end of the current season.

"Tiemoue Bakayoko has joined his former club Monaco on loan for the season," read a statement on Chelsea's official website. "The French midfielder made 43 appearances for the Blues in 2017/18 having signed for us from the Ligue 1 side, who he had just helped reach the Champions League semi-finals."

Bakayoko, who had also been linked with a return to Milan, has not made an appearance for the Blues at the start of the 2019-20 campaign.