BAKAYOKO- BENACCER: This is a very simple synthesis considering that Benaccer can easily play a more advanced role in the midfield and being discharged somewhat of his defensive duties, with our team not losing defensive solidity on the other hand i would argue that a more conservative midfield of Benaccer and Bakayoko would solidify more the defensive our defensive aspect but also we would lose on the dynamism that Kessie brings into the table. So when and where would it make sense to play a hypothetical midfield 2 of Bakayoko and Benaccer. The most obvious scenario would be vs a team who sits back, defends and plays a very bitter counterattack. Imagine the likes of Udinese or Parma. In a scenario like that a midfielder like Benaccer whom would be of much use more advanced to create chances, open up play in a faster pace would be important like bread offensively while a screening midfielder with a physicality to be dominant in the air and in the ground is much needed to brake those counters. An other scenario would be an open play UEL game vs a team who plays open football but puts an emphasis on long direct balls like Frankfurt played in the 18-19 season in this scenario also a physical presence like Bakayoko is much much needed.
KESSIE-BAKAYOKO: The difference between last season and this season is that under Gattuso this pairing wouldn?t work. But in the upcoming season it would and very well and there is a very good reference why. The reference is the last Atalanta game where Kessie player alongside Biglia with Laxalt as a fullback. Milan have adapted in such a way where Kessie was the main player to get the first or second ball even under pressure and make a simple pas in advance to Hakan whom now can drop low while in the 18-19 season he couldn?t cause it would let a huge gap in the left wing, to Theo who is always available to get a pass and drive forward, Rebic can drop more centrally also does Alexis and Castillejo or even Ibra who can drop in the midfield to collect the pass and build from, a simple long ball to Ibra is always a very reliable solution. Also when Conti played he also was an other solution to send the ball to and develop in the spaces whom were created and send the ball forward and not stagnant it back and fourth. In the 18-19 season Milan didn?t move nearly as much without the ball thus being more telegraphed, the player who was in charge of sending the ball forward was only Paqueta in the second part of the season while at the start was Bonaventura thus in the mid period before Paqueta arrived and Bonaventura got injured Milan suffered a lot. So in build up a midfield duo of Bakayoko and Kessie now days can work but in what scenario it would be beneficial... One obvious reason is to counter a physical heavy midfield from an other opposition. Along side the lines of the first one, if Pioli wants to dominate the midfield from a physical aspect of the game. An other would be when you want more players in the opposition area and Kessie excels at that while not sacrificing defensive solidity.
From a human aspect what does Bakayoko bring into the table. Bakayoko is a 26 year old who already has Serie A experience while understanding in how to adapt to the league. On top of that we have seen that he has good relationships with Milan players already and has the desire to play at Milan which is very important at the moment. On top of that the most important aspect is that Bakayoko has excelled in important matches, making man of the match performances in the 2 losses vs Inter and Juventus in the second part of the 18-19 season while scoring in one of them and assisting in the other. Also putting out important performances vs the likes of Roma, Atalanta and also Lazio again in the second part of the season. We have to also mention the problematic that he had with Gattuso and Acerbi, it also is this part of the token.
CONCLUSION: Bakayoko would be an important and impactful signing in the field and of the field both especially if he improved his behavior and what happened in the 2 mentioned above scenarios. The particular situation of him at Chelsea and the desire of the guy to come at Milan gives us the leverage to sign a player whom in other circumstances would cost us much more then between 20-25 mil.
Thank you to the people who reached to the end, hope you liked the summery