Chelsea manager Antonio Conte is seeing encouraging signs in the speed with which summer signing Tiemoue Bakayoko has adapted to the Premier League.
Bakayoko, who joined from Monaco in July for a £40million fee, has been eased into the Chelsea side by Conte after undergoing knee surgery at the end of last season.
After making a surprisingly early debut in the August win at Tottenham, when an injury crisis left Conte with nowhere else to turn, Bakayoko has only completed 90 minutes on one occasion since, a 2-1 win at Leicester earlier this month.
Conte opted to partner N’Golo Kante with Cesc Fabregas in Sunday’s 0-0 draw with Arsenal but Bakayoko’s 45 minute cameo in place of Pedro offered plenty of encouraging signs for his manager, who could hand the France international another start in the EFL Cup third round tie at home to Nottingham Forest tomorrow.
“Baka now has started to play,” Conte said. “I think he is playing very well.
“Don't forget last season he finished the season with surgery in his knee. Now he is in a good physical condition.
“He is starting to adapt himself in our style of football. I am pleased because I think these are good signs for us.”
Bakayoko had been called on to replace Pedro at Stamford Bridge on Sunday after the forward had suffered another injury in what has been a frustrating third season for the Spanish forward.
Pedro had spurned Chelsea’s best chance of a cagey clash with London rivals Arsenal when he fired straight at Petr Cech when played through on goal by Cesc Fabregas. It was the latest disappointment in a campaign that has not gone to plan so far for the former Barcelona star.
“This season he is not lucky,” Conte conceded. “He started with a bad injury in the Arsenal game - a friendly game - where he broke a bone in his face. Then he received a knock on his ankle, now on his leg.
“I hope for him - but overall for our team - to be more lucky in the future.
“For sure now, Pedro is trying to recover from the last injury. It is important for him also to work because don't forget when you are injured you cannot work.
“Sometimes can you lose your physical condition and you need more time to find this. But I think nothing too serious about the last injury but he needs a bit of time to recover.”