Chelsea are in talks with AC Milan over cancelling Tiemoue Bakayoko's loan

Chelsea are in talks with AC Milan to cancel Tiemoue Bakayoko's loan.

The Stamford Bridge club are willing to let the 28-year-old - who cost the club £35m from Monaco in 2017 - leave on a free.

Bakayoko signed for Milan on a two-year loan deal in the summer of 2021, but he has struggled for gametime under Stefano Pioli.

He featured just 18 times in all competitions last season and has failed to even play a minute during the current campaign.

The Rossoneri are unwilling to play the 28-year-old as there is a clause in his loan meaning they would have to make the deal permanent if he plays at least 45 minutes in 15 games this season.

He is contracted until 2024 with Graham Potter's side but the Blues are prepared to release him, in a similar move to what they did with fellow transfer flop Ross Barkley earlier this season before the midfielder joined Nice.

Bakayoko, who has won a sole cap for France, played 43 times for Chelsea during the 2017-18 season.

His last game for the club came in that campaign, as he played the full 90 minutes of their FA Cup final victory over Manchester United in May 2018.

The midfielder has since endured successive loan spells at AC Milan, Monaco and  Napoli between 2018-2021, before he returned to the San Siro in the summer of 2021.

Pioli's side sit third in Serie A with 37 points from 17 games and the Italian has several central midfielders at his disposal such as Sandro Tonali and Ismael Bennacer.

They have also reached the knockout stages of the Champions League and face Tottenham in the Round of 16.