Chelsea transfer news: Olivier Giroud, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Danny Drinkwater

Giroud to Marseille?

Marseille are busy bees at the moment. Just a day after they were linked with a move for Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny comes news that they are also after one of the Gunner’s former teammates.

According to talkSPORT, the French club are monitoring Olivier Giroud’s situation at Chelsea, with a view to tabling a bid for the World Cup winner before the end of the month.

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Having tasted glory with Les Bleus in Russia, the French forward was allegedly none too pleased to find himself on the bench for Chelsea’s opening game of the season, against Huddersfield.

Having suffered a similar fate in his last two seasons at Arsenal, 31-year-old Giroud wants regular game time, and talkSPORT report that his “future at Stamford Bridge remains unclear”.

French media reports that if he doesn’t get assurances from Maurizio Sarri that he will feature more regularly for Chelsea - after joining the side in January - Giroud will look to move to Marseille, where he feels his talents will be better appreciated.

Bye-bye Bakayoko

One player who is definitely emptying his Chelsea locker is Tiemoue Bakayoko. The Guardian is one of several newspapers to report that the midfielder has completed a season-long loan move to AC Milan.

Bakayoko joined Chelsea from Monaco last summer in a £39.7m deal but failed to settle in his first season, scoring just three times in 43 appearances.

With the emergence of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and new arrivals Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic, game time would be ever more restricted for Bakayoko in London, so it was in everyone’s interest that he left.

According to The Sun, “the Italians have confirmed they have an option to buy, believed to be £31m, if the move works out”. The newspaper adds that to help drive forward a permanent deal, Chelsea will pay £65,000 of Bakayoko’s weekly wage, with Milan responsible for the outstanding £43,000.

Drinkwater to depart

Another Blue about to leave the Bridge is Danny Drinkwater, says the Daily Star, which claims that the former Leicester City midfielder is no longer required.

Sarri is said to have “signalled he is happy for the England international to leave before the European transfer window closes”.

Drinkwater arrived in London last summer in a £35m deal but has never adapted to the Blues. The newspaper reports that German outfit Schalke are ready to offer him the chance to relaunch his career.