Chelsea could be set to admit defeat in their pursuit of Tiemoue Bakayoko and push for a move for Lyon star Corentin Tolisso instead, according to a L’Equipe report.
The French media outlet has claimed that the potential deal with Bakayoko has “cooled” and that they have “expressed interest” in signing Tolisso.
This comes after a Sun previously stated manager Antonio Conte was set to add the Monaco midfield dynamo to his squad this summer.
Bakayoko, 22, was a mainstay of Monaco’s side this term, making 51 appearances in all competitions, scoring three goals, and providing one assist.
His efforts did not go unnoticed and he has attracted many potential suitors after helping his club to win the Ligue 1 title this season.
Bakayoko joined Monaco from Stade Rennais in the summer of 2014 for £6.8million and he has since gone onto play 92 league and cup games for the club.
Tolisso on the other hand has plied his trade at Lyon since 2014, when he made the jump into the first-team set-up from the club’s B team.
The 22-year-old has also impressed this campaign, making 47 appearances in all competitions, scoring 14 goals and supplying seven assists.
The pair have both been capped by France on one occasion, both making their international debut in their nation’s 2-0 friendly defeat to Spain in March of this year.
Conte is looking to further strengthen his squad this summer after leading them to the Premier League title this campaign.