BAKA IS BACKED TO BE THE NEW KANTE

ANTONIO CONTE has vowed to turn £36million Tiemoue Bakayoko into a complete midfielder — just as he has with N’golo Kante. Bakayoko (left) says it was the chance to work with Conte that lured him to Stamford Bridge in the summer. And the Chelsea boss said: “Baka is a good player and a good signing for us. He’s a 23-year-old — don’t forget this. “He’s a powerful player, and that is very important, above all in this league. But he can improve a lot with the ball. We are working on this aspect.

“We did the same with N’golo when he arrived here. If you remember he was very, very good without the ball.

“Now you can see a complete player with the ball and without the ball. We want to work in the same way with Baka.”

And French star Bakayoko cannot understand why today’s rival boss Arsene Wenger is getting so much stick.

“He’s doing a very good job at Arsenal,” said Bakayoko, who reportedly met with his countryman to discuss a move, before opting for Chelsea. “It’s always been something we are proud about in France, to have a compatriot coaching Arsenal.

“It’s true that perhaps Arsenal as a club have a bigger following among French people because of him and also because there have been a lot of French players who have gone there to play, and built great careers there over the years.

“But I made the choice to come to Chelsea largely because of the coach here and after speaking to him.

“I prefer football that is pretty tough physically. That suits my characteristics best.”