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Chelsea FC news: Bakayoko says Claude Makelele had a big influence on his career

Tiemoue Bakayoko has hailed former Chelsea stars Didier Drogba and Claude Makelele as two major influences in his career.

Bakayoko joined the Premier League champions from Monaco in a deal worth a reported £40million and is already saying all the right things to get supporters excited.

Aspiring Chelsea midfielders can have few better role models than Makelele who won two league titles and both the FA and League Cups during his five-year stay at Stamford Bridge.

Makelele was technical director at Monaco club during Bakayoko's formative years, becoming something of a mentor to the 22-year-old as he developed from prospect to mainstay.