Chelsea could reportedly look to offload Michy Batshuayi this summer to bring an end to his underwhelming stint at the club since joining in 2016.
The 26-year-old arrived at Stamford Bridge off the back of an impressive spell with Marseille, but he’s managed just 25 goals and six assists in 77 appearances for the Blues.
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In that time, he has also been shipped out on loan to Borussia Dortmund, Valencia and Crystal Palace, as he has seemingly struggled to make a positive impact on various coaches to convince them to give him a key role for Chelsea, albeit his goalscoring record given his bit-part role isn’t too bad.
He’s chipped in with eight goals in 25 outings so far this season under Frank Lampard, but it seemingly might not be enough to secure his long-term future in west London, with his current contract also set to expire in 2021.
According to The Sun, via HLN, Chelsea are ready to move the Belgian international on at the end of the season, and it’s suggested that rivals West Ham Utd could be on hand to give Batshuayi a fresh opportunity to prove his worth in the Premier League.
Further, it’s suggested that while Chelsea had valued their striker at £40m, it’s highly unlikely that they’ll receive that kind of fee not only due to his inconsistency since moving to England, but also due to the uncertainty and financial impact of the coronavirus crisis.
Nevertheless, it would still make sense to try and find an agreement to sell this summer if they wish to move him on, as they will undoubtedly want to avoid the risk of losing Batshuayi for nothing in just over a year’s time.
Meanwhile, HLN do add in their report that should he move on, compatriot Dries Mertens could be targeted to fill the void. Albeit he’s now 32 years of age, Mertens has shown his quality at the highest level on a consistent basis for Napoli in recent years, becoming the club’s all-time top goalscorer.
As he prepares to become a free agent this summer, it could be a smart bit of business from Chelsea and Frank Lampard to draft in a more proven stalwart to offer support in the final third to give them a boost while trying to cash in on Batshuayi while they still can.