Frank Lampard’s previous comments on reported Everton target Tiemoue Bakayoko

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Everton will have to replace the soon-to-be departing midfielder Idrissa Gueye, with Chelsea’s Tiemoue Bakayoko mooted as a possible replacement.

Everton are set to lose one of their key men from last season in Idrissa Gueye and with his expected departure Marco Silva will need a viable replacement.

RMC Sport have claimed that Chelsea’s Tiemoue Bakayoko could be one of those players to replace PSG-bound Gueye, with the Frenchman currently managed by Frank Lampard after he was appointed manager this summer.

During the summer of 2017, Chelsea signed Bakayoko from Monaco, but it is fair to say that he struggled with the pace of the game and drew criticism from the man who is now his club manager, Frank Lampard.

Lampard made it clear after Chelsea’s Champions League game with Athletico Madrid that defensive-minded Bakayoko ‘sleeps’ during games, as he stated that he needs to improve.

“He sleeps,” said Lampard, as quoted by the Independent. “His concentration goes and at this level if you sleep for a second and it’s an easy goal for Atletico.

“I don’t know with Bakayoko. I think it’s well documented that he hasn’t settled quickly at Chelsea and English football in the Premier League as well and he has to come to grips with that.

“A moment’s sleeping today doesn’t work so he needs to improve but he’s [Antonio Conte] got options. [Danny] Drinkwater will play as well but hopefully, Bakayoko will improve.”

Since then, Bakayoko was loaned out by Chelsea which tells you everything you need to know about the player. Plus, he didn’t exactly light up Serie A during his loan spell with AC Milan.

Given Lampard’s previous comments on Bakayoko and the rumours that he is now willing to let him leave Stamford Bridge, that in itself should tell you a lot about what Lampard thinks of him now.

Everton are seemingly about to sell one of their best players. Replacing him with someone like Bakayoko would be a serious downgrade, and he hasn’t shown anything that would excite the fans that he can prove his worth down the line.