Report: Chelsea will open negotiations for Monaco's Tiemoue Bakayoko

Chelsea is reportedly still targeting AS Monaco's Tiemoue Bakayoko.

According to Jason Burt and Matt Law of The Telegraph, Chelsea will step up its efforts to sign Bakayoko next week and will open negotiations for the French midfielder, who is a key target and who could be the Blues' first signing of the summer transfer window if talks go smoothly.

Bakayoko is apparently expected to cost €50 million (£42.7 million). Chelsea is allegedly willing to bankroll a sumptuous fortification of its squad this summer that could cost more than £200 million.

In December, the Guardian's Dominic Fifield reported that Antonio Conte and Michael Emenalo, Chelsea's technical director, travelled to France in order to watch Bakayoko and Djibril Sidibe. The Blues are allegedly not the only club to express interest in the product of Stade Rennais and have been working on a deal for some time.