According to a recent report by The Independent, Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi has been tipped to be on the verge of a season-long loan move to fellow Premier League outfit Crystal Palace. The report suggests that the Belgian forward is close to signing a year-long contract extension with the Blues, only to then join the Eagles on loan ahead of the upcoming campaign. With his contract with the Pensioners ending next summer, this new contract would allow the attacker to return to Stamford Bridge once his loan tenure is complete.
Although the report has clarified that Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi is close to a Crystal Palace loan, whether or not this deal actually takes shape remains to be seen. The attacker impressed during his first action in over five months on Tuesday night when he scored a brace for Belgium in the Nations League while on international duty. Leeds United, West Bromwich Albion and Newcastle United have all been tracking the Belgian, but Crystal Palace have seemingly pulled off what the others couldn’t achieve.
What Is Chelsea’s Current Striker Situation?
The Blues have undoubtedly been the most active team in the transfer window so far, and that will not come as good news to the Belgian striker. Despite starting last season as the second choice to Tammy Abraham, Lampard was quick to realise that Batshuayi doesn’t have the quality required to deliver the goods on a consistent basis.
Olivier Giroud and Tammy Abraham ended up being the gaffer’s preferred striking options in the second part of the campaign, and it all but spelt the beginning of the end for Batshuayi at Chelsea.
With the new season on the horizon, Frank Lampard’s side have been extremely busy in the transfer market. The addition of names like Hakim Ziyech and Kai Havertz will do wonders to this Chelsea squad, but the one signing that everyone seems to be most excited about is that of German forward Timo Werner. The former Leipzig man finished last season as the second-highest scorer in the Bundesliga, behind only the best striker in the world – Robert Lewandowski. With Giroud and Abraham still at the club to give the German competition, it’s unlikely that Batshuayi gets a look-in at any point.
What Kind Of Player Is Michy Batshuayi?
The Belgian international striker has been a member of the Chelsea books for over four seasons now but is yet to really nail down a place in the side. Not only has his stint at the club been riddled with loan spells, but even when he has stayed on at Stamford Bridge, things have never really looked on the up. Undoubtedly a good finisher of the ball, the 26-year-old can be best described as a good goal-poacher. Batshuayi is adept at positioning himself in the opposition box, while he tends to be the first to react to dangerous situations as well. Although it hasn’t worked out at Chelsea, the forward indeed has the quality required to deliver at a slightly lower level.
Chelsea Striker Michy Batshuayi Is Close To A Crystal Palace Loan: Should Lampard Ship Him Out?
As things stand, the Blues’ roster contains four separate striking options. Keeping two of them happy last season was a challenge enough for Lampard, which means that Batshuayi could well be surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge. Pairing your generational talents like Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic with an above-average striker like Batshuayi should be considered criminal. It would hence be in the best interest of all the parties involved to allow Batshuayi to make the switch to Selhurst Park for the upcoming season.
