Chelsea’s Michy Batshuayi is wanted by Galatasaray this summer, according to a report by Aksam (via Sport Witness).
The Turkish outfit see the Belgium international as the man to replace Mbaye Diagne ahead of the upcoming campaign as their forward is said to have attracted plenty of interest from Premier League clubs.
It is claimed Frank Lampard does not see him in his first-team plans and could allow him to leave on loan, with Galatasaray hoping the prospect of Champions League football can lure him to Istanbul.
After loan spells with Borussia Dortmund, Valencia and Crystal Palace, the arrival of Lampard as manager could have been the opportunity for Batshuayi to stake his claim for a place in the Chelsea side.
He has featured in the club’s pre-season games and the new manager has already praised him for his performances, stating that he had been impressed with him and Tammy Abraham.
“I thought Tammy, his energy up front, alongside Michy, was really good between the pair of them,” he told Chelsea TV (via The Metro).
“They showed exactly the sort of stuff I want, energy off the ball as well as on the ball, and quality.”
When looking at his time with the Bundesliga outfit, where he played alongside Christian Pulisic, things could be rather encouraging for the Blues. When playing together, the pair combined regularly as there appeared to be some chemistry between the duo. Three of the 20-year-old’s seven assists were to the Belgian, making the American the biggest supplier for Batshuayi’s nine goals in all competitions at Dortmund.
The current transfer ban is something that may have boosted his chances of featuring, although the report by Aksam (via Sport Witness) is concerning for the forward. The 25-year-old was in good form for Palace in his six-months at Selhurst Park. He managed to net six goals in his 13 appearances across all competitions, with five of those in the Premier League (Transfermarkt).
Olivier Giroud, in comparison, managed to net just two goals in his 27 top-flight appearances, although he was largely used as a second-half substitute by Maurizio Sarri throughout the campaign in England’s top division (Transfermarkt).
If Batshuayi is unable to get ahead of the likes of Giroud and Abraham this season and is not expected to feature in Lampard’s plans, then it might be best that he does look to leave this summer and get his career back on track.
Galatasaray, perhaps, could be a good move for him as they would be able to provide him with the level of football that the 25-year-old would surely want to test himself at, thanks to their Champions League participation.
Having gone on the pre-season tour of Japan with the Blues, he could still force his way into Lampard’s Chelsea plans ahead of the upcoming campaign, so it will be interesting to see what the next few weeks hold for his future at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea fans, should Batshuayi remain at the club beyond the summer? Let us know your thoughts by sharing them in the comments section below!
