5 times clubs massively overpaid for players

#4 Michy Batshuayi - £33m to Chelsea, 2016

West Bromwich Albion v Chelsea - Premier League — Michy Batshuayi was probably overpriced at £33m

In the summer of 2016, Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi was hot property across the European football scene. He’d just scored a solid 17 goals in 36 league games for Marseille and was seen as one of the top up-and-coming strikers outside of the top divisions. It seemed only a matter of time before a big club came to snap him up and so it was no surprise when Chelsea signed him during Euro 2016.

The only surprise was the huge transfer fee - £33m. Sure, it wasn’t a record fee for Chelsea or anything as they’ve always been a big-spending side, but given the Blues already had a star striker in Diego Costa and didn’t tend to play more than one pure forward due to the presence of Willian and Eden Hazard, it was quite shocking that they’d pay so much for someone who’d likely be used as backup.

Unfortunately for the Belgian, the doubters have basically been proven right ever since. Batshuayi was used sparingly in his first season at Stamford Bridge, and despite scoring 9 goals in all competitions and performing decently when he did appear, he started just one Premier League game. And 2017/18 was no different as he was given just 3 Premier League starts and then moved on loan to Borussia Dortmund in January.

At this stage it seems ever more likely that Batshuayi will be offloaded this summer – despite his stats at Dortmund being more impressive than Chelsea’s main striker Alvaro Morata was able to deliver last season – and if he does leave, the Blues probably won’t get £33m for him – meaning they probably overpaid for the Belgian in the first place.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

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Edited by Amar Anand