According to a recent report by Belgian news source HLN, Premier League giants Chelsea are said to be considering offloading Belgian international striker Michy Batshuayi in the summer, after yet another disappointing campaign in front of goal. The report suggests that the Blues are hoping to see Batshuayi play elsewhere next season and that they could look to bring in fellow Belgian teammate Dries Mertens to replace him.
The London club’s CEO Marina Granovskaia is said to be looking for a solution to this problem in the summer, with Lampard also not claimed to be keen on the Belgian’s services. With just a year left on his current contract, the Blues even run the risk of having to let him go for free at the end of next season. It has been clarified though that Batshuayi has admirers in the Premier League and Ligue 1, in the form of West Ham, Crystal Palace, Marseille and Monaco.
What Kind Of Striker Is Michy Batshuayi?
The Belgian international arrived at Chelsea from the Ligue 1 few years ago. Despite his long-standing commitment towards the London club, his opportunities have been limited. With that said though, it’s worth considering that the striker failed to take the few opportunities that were presented to him.
Batshuayi offers decent physical presence up front, but his lack of upper body strength does become an issue against the stronger defenders.
The former Standard Liege man’s strongest attribute is his ability to finish off chances, but over recent months, even that has begun to look like a real struggle for the Belgian. Apart from a loan spell at Borussia Dortmund, the striker has never looked comfortable at any of the teams he’s been at, and his scoring record can only be considered as average at best. Now 26, the Belgian cannot be classed as a ‘promising’ striker anymore, and the fact that he’s stayed at Chelsea this long does come as a slight surprise.
How Did Batshuayi’s League Season Go This Time Around?
Frank Lampard was forced into giving the Belgian striker a few opportunities in the first-team this season, owing mainly to the unexpected injury picked up by Tammy Abraham. At that point in the season, Olivier Giroud wasn’t a part of the first-team picture, meaning that the gaffer didn’t have another option. The biggest of those chances came when he started the game against Manchester United and offered next to nothing in an attacking sense.
Why Chelsea Must Offload Batshuayi This Summer At Any Cost
Batshuayi continues to cut a frustrating figure in front of goal for Chelsea, despite having been at the club for just under four years now. Any indication that the Belgian can turn into the first-choice striker at Stamford Bridge is now long gone, and it’s just a matter of trying to recuperate as much of the money they paid for him. Although that does seem complicated on paper, it would be in the club’s best interest to cash in on the striker, irrespective of the price involved.
