CHELSEA MIDFIELDER Tiemoue Bakayoko has been released following the expiry of his contract, the club has confirmed.

The 28-year-old was signed by former manager Antonio Conte shortly after the team’s last Premier League title triumph in 2017 but had not played for the club since the end of his first season.

He has since spent time on loan at AC Milan – with whom he won the Serie A title in 2022 – Napoli and former club Monaco.

He arrived at Stamford Bridge in a £40 million (€47 million) deal after helping Monaco to a surprise Ligue 1 title success, having been part of the team that also featured Kylian Mbappe and Bernardo Silva.

The side managed by Leonardo Jardin knocked out Manchester City in the last-16 of the Champions League en route to a semi-final exit to Juventus.

But the midfielder, who won one cap for France in 2017, failed to live up to the expectation that accompanied his arrival.

His most memorable moment in blue came during the 2018 FA Cup final when he played the full 90 minutes as Conte’s side ran out 1-0 winners against Manchester United to lift the trophy.

Another 12 players to have come through Chelsea’s academy have also left the club according to a list released by the Premier League, including goalkeeper Nathan Baxter who played 12 times in the Championship on loan at Hull last season.