According to reports, Premier League Champions Chelsea are planning a move to replace their Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi with Celtic sensation, Moussa Dembele. The French youngster has been on the wish list of numerous top European clubs this summer following his flawless season with Scottish Premiership winners Celtic, and the Blues have been his long-term admirers.
Owing to easy fixture schedule last season, which saw new manager Antonio Conte naming a more or less unchanged squad throughout the year, Batshuayi hardly got minutes under his belt. After finishing the previous season in the 10th position, Chelsea could risk absolutely nothing last term, and proven striker Diego Costa mostly got the first call ahead of Batshuayi.
The 23-year-old striker could manage only one start for the side and started from the bench 19 times. But, his heroics at the end of the season after Chelsea had secured the title did show his calibre as he ended the season with five league goals and one assist in 20 games.
And now with World Cup coming up next season, regular first-team action would be absolutely crucial for the Belgian, which has led many to believe that the player is looking for chances elsewhere. Apart from that, Conte didn’t look quite impressed with his game either and was ready offload him in the winter transfer window itself on loan.
Dembele, unlike Batshuayi, has nothing to prove at the national level. At 20, he is already an established member of French front line with the likes of Olivier Giroud, Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe. His attributes in and around the opponent’s D-box is fearsome and we got a glimpse of it in the SPL last season.
Though it was former Premier League man Scott Sinclair, who ended up as the leading scorer for the club, Dembele scored 17 goals and eight assists in the league. In total, he has managed to score 32 goals and provide nine assists in 49 outings under Brendan Rodgers. His Champions League display, in an otherwise dismal performance by the whole Celtic team, stands out too.
The Paris Saint-Germain youth product’s abilities were first recognised by English side Fulham, who brought him in 2014. Two years of terrific performances and Celtic got him last summer when Rodgers took charge. He is a fan favourite at Parkhead owing to his outlandish dribbling abilities and superior finishing. At 183cm, he could be a huge impact player for Chelsea with such skills and definitely a level up over Batshuayi.
