Belgium forward Michy Batshuayi
Everton transfer target Michy Batshuayi is willing to make the switch to Goodison Park, according to talkSPORT.
The lowdown
Bobby Vincent reported for football.london on Sunday that the Toffees are pursuing a permanent deal for the Chelsea forward. The Stamford Bridge club are ready ‘to do business if the price is right’, so the assent of Batshuayi may be the final piece of the puzzle.
The 28-year-old, who spent last season on loan at Besiktas in the Turkish Super Lig, has one year left on his contract with Thomas Tuchel’s side.
The latest
Journalist Sam May wrote for talkSPORT that Batshuayi is ‘open to’ a move to Everton.
He adds that the Belgian is seen as a replacement for Richarlison, who joined Tottenham Hotspur for £60m earlier this summer.
The verdict
Everton now have the green light to make their move, but they should also be wary as this transfer would be something of a punt.
Chelsea paid £33m to sign Batshuayi from Marseille in July 2016 but he has failed to convince in west London, scoring just 25 goals in 77 appearances.
That’s why the Blues have loaned him out to four different clubs in the space of six years. He spent 18 months at Crystal Palace but didn’t set the world alight there either in a goalscoring sense, with eight in 33 games.
His overall Premier League record stands at 15 goals in 77 matches, so can he really fill the void of Richarlison, who bagged 10 last season alone?
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Still, Lampard will hope that he can unlock the best version of a player who logged 19 goal contributions (14 goals, five assists) for Besiktas last term and once featured in the Bundesliga Team of the Season during his time at Borussia Dortmund.
The Everton manager has seen the Premier League winner up close during his time in the Chelsea dugout and regards his attitude as ‘top class‘, so he could be the right man to get the best out of Batshuayi, who in turn could fill the void left by Richarlison.
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