Chelsea could lose one of their loan army’s shining stars after Crystal Palace revived their interest in Michy Batshuayi
Chelsea’s recent acquisition of Christian Pulisic has put a lot of their first-teamers’ future in serious doubt. Pedro and Willian seem under immediate threat but the deal could have several domino effects. Among them is the primary departure of their talented forwards. Tammy Abraham and Michy Batshuayi are two of their most talented forwards ad both have piqued the interest of a few of Chelsea’s domestic rivals.
While Abraham is angling for a move to newcomers Wolverhampton Wanderers, Batshuayi is on the radar of Crystal Palace. The Londoners had been tracking Dominic Solanke for a while and were all set to complete a move for Englan under-21 international but Solanke’s recurring injury issues have proven to be a detriment. Currently, the youngster is struggling with a hamstring injury. Moreover, he has no lack of offers on the table, both long and short-term.
Palace’s fierce rivals, Brighton recently appointed Dan Ashworth as their technical forward from the FA and he has seen Solanke’s development first-hand through various age groups. Consequently, the Seagulls have jumped ahead in the race for the player’s signatures.
Palace to revive interest in Michy Batshuayi after a Dominic Solanke loan deal falls through https://t.co/ZCQoLfqBt3 via @MailSport
— E-Crystal Palace (@e_crystalpalace) January 2, 2019
This has led Roy Hodgson and his team to turn their sight towards Michy Batshuayi. The Belgian, currently on loan at Valencia, has endured a disastrous spell in Spain. Still he has been of interest to Palace since 2016 when they agreed a fee with Marseille for his signatures but he snubbed them for a move to Chelsea. Considering how his stock has fallen since, a move to Crystal Palace might be the best case scenario for all parties involved.
Author’s Take
Michy Batshuayi is a talented No.9 and can lead the line for a top club as can be seen from his loan spell at Borussia Dortmund. But I feel it is too late for him to cut it with Chelsea, he needs to secure a permanent move elsewhere. Crystal Palace is as good a mid-table club as any in the Premier League. They have a gaping hole in their central striking role and Batshuayi can quickly establish himself as a top forward once again.
