AC MILAN have put Chelsea star Tiemoue Bakayoko and Burnley’s Jeff Hendrick on their six-man midfield hitlist this summer.
The Italians have already made a move for the out-of-contract Hendrick, after missing out in January.
And 25-year-old Frenchman Bakayoko – who was on loan at Monaco this season – has been added to that list as they made signing a midfielder their top priority.
Bakayoko has struggled to nail down a first-team spot at Stamford Bridge with the likes of Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante ahead of him.
That list deepened with the sensational form of Chelsea youngsters Billy Gilmour and Mason Mount this term and he is available for £31m.
Bakayoko is keen on a return to the San Siro.
AC will have to pay big bucks for their former player as he signed a new five-year deal in 2019, which takes him up until 2024.
The player cost £40m when he joined in 2017 but has made just 40 Prem starts for the Blues in three years.
Hendrick will be the cheap option for the Serie A giants.
They would only have to pay his wages.
But Burnley are working hard to keep the Irish former Derby County star.
Italian sports media outlet Calcio Mercato claim Bakayoko and Hendrick are two of the six players on Milan’s hotlist.
Benfica’s Florentino Luis is their main target as they need a defensive midfielder ideally.
AZ Alkmaar captain Teun Koopmeiners, FC Nantes youngster Imran Louza, 21, and Nice’s Italian-born teenager Khephren Thuram – the son of Juventus legend Lillian Thuram – are possible alternatives.
