Gattuso Wants Permanent Bakayoko Move

By Max Wise

AC Milan manager Ivan Gennaro Gattuso has made clear his intentions of keeping on-loan Chelsea midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko beyond the end of the season.

Bakayoko moved to the San Siro on a season-long loan deal at the beginning of the 2018/2019 season, following a below-par first season at Stamford Bridge.

The 24-year-old former AS Monaco midfielder was initially criticised by Gattuso in his earlier outings for AC Milan, but Bakayoko's performances have improved thereafter, making him one of the manager's first names on the team sheet.

Bakayoko has made 25 appearances in all competitions for the Rossoneri, and he expressed his desire to remain at the San Siro earlier this week.

AC Milan meet AS Roma in the Serie A on Sunday with a point separating the two sides, and Gattuso underlined the importance of Bakayoko to his set-up at a news conference before the game.

"At this moment we cannot do without him, he must remain at Milan," he told a news conference ahead of Sunday's trip to Roma.

"He is proving technical skills. You know that I am not in charge of the finances, but he is certainly giving us fundamental improvements.

"He can become an important player for this club for many years."