Chelsea
wing-back Davide Zappacosta has returned to Atalanta on a permanent deal,
while the Blues are close to reaching an agreement with AC Milan for Tiemoue
Bakayoko to join the Italian side on loan with an option to buy.
Zappacosta - who was also attracting interest from Fiorentina - returns to
Italy four years after signing for Chelsea from Torino for £24m.
He made 52 appearances for the club in all competitions and won the FA Cup
and Europa League during his time at Stamford Bridge.
Writing on social media, Zappacosta said: "Goodbye Chelsea, what an amazing
journey! One FA Cup, one UEFA Cup, wearing this colour gives you a special
emotion!
"Thank you for everything and best of luck for the future. Zap."
Zappacosta spent the last two seasons back on loan in Serie A, firstly with
Roma and then with Genoa.
The 29-year-old previously spent four years with Atalanta before moving to
Torino in 2015.
His last appearance for Chelsea was as an 89th-minute substitute for Eden
Hazard when they won the Europa League by beating Arsenal 4-1 in Baku in May
2019.
Zappacosta could soon be joined in Italy by Bakayoko, who was identified by
Milan as a summer target back in June when Sky Sports News reported the
Serie A club also wanted Chelsea pair Olivier Giroud and Hakim Ziyech.
Giroud completed his move to Milan in July, and now Bakayoko - who spent the
2018-19 season on loan at the club - is nearing a return to Italy.
Bakayoko has failed to hold down a place in Chelsea's first team since
arriving from Monaco for £40m in 2017.
He moved to Milan a year after making 29 Premier League appearances for
Chelsea in 2017-18, and he then joined Monaco on loan in 2019-20 and Napoli
a season later.
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