What’s the story?
Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi is all set to depart Stamford Bridge in the summer as per reports from The Independent. The Belgian international moved to Chelsea last summer for a whopping fee of £33million but has found it incredibly hard to get into the first team plans of Antonio Conte. And is now believed to be looking for greener pastures in the summer.
However, it is also understood that both Chelsea and the player are looking for loan moves rather than a permanent one. Conte will reportedly hold a meeting with the player at the end of the current season as they attempt to work out the best possible move for the striker, with Batshuayi still determined to prove that he can succeed at the club.
In case you didn’t know...
Michy Batshuayi was one of the most sought out players in Europe last summer after his excellent season with Marseille but it was Chelsea who managed to bag his signature for a massive fee of £33 million. However, due to the Blues’ absence in Europe, Batshuayi has struggled for playing time this season with Diego Costa has been in the form of his life in the Premier League.
The Belgian is yet to start a single Premier League game for Chelsea and has only managed to get 497 minutes of playing time in all competitions. However, his figures are quite impressive with five goals and three assists.
The heart of the matter
Batshuayi is still very young and needs to play more to continue his development and a loan move can be good for both parties. He had a fantastic last season with Marseille in Ligue 1 where he notched up 17 goals in 36 Ligue 1 appearances and thus he should not find it hard to attract suitors.
With the World Cup set to take place in 2018, Batshuayi needs regular first-team football to cement his place in the Belgian team and Chelsea cannot offer him that. On the other hand, the 23-year-old has a bright future ahead of himself and Chelsea won’t like to see him leaving permanently. Therefore, a loan move might very well be on the cards.
What’s next?
Chelsea had no European commitments this season but will surely have Champions League football next campaign and in order to thrive in Europe and England both, they will need a solid squad depth. So, Batshuayi’s future depends a lot on Chelsea’s transfer activities in the summer. Unless Conte gets a replacement for the Belgian hitman, he surely won’t let the youngster go.
Sportskeeda’s take
Batshuayi, for the sake of his career, needs to play more. He is an extremely talented player and has proven that whenever he got his chance. West Ham were hot on the tail of him throughout the last summer but were beaten by Chelsea.
The Hammers have struggled due to lack of firepower up front this season too and they might reignite interest in Batshuayi. At West Ham, he is likely to get regular Premier League exposure. There might be interest in him from France as well. His former club Marseille are spending big in recent times and a move back to Stade Velodrome cannot be put off the table as well.
