Crystal Palace are keeping close tabs on Chelsea’s forward Michy Batshuayi, it has been claimed by the Evening Standard.
The report that the Eagles want to sign Batshuayi on loan, while their Premier League rivals Everton are willing to splash £14m to acquire his services.
Chelsea spent £32m to sign him from Marseille in the summer of 2016, so it remains to be seen if they will accept Everton’s offer.
A loan move might be the best thing for Batshuayi, however.
Michy Batshuayi: Profile
Batshuayi started his senior career with Standard Liege and after spending three seasons with them, he signed for Marseille in the summer of 2014. He dazzled in Ligue 1 and was quick to draw the attention of top clubs in Europe.
Following his move to the Stamford Bridge a couple of seasons later, Batshuayi struggled to find a regular place in the starting lineup.
In January 2018, the Belgian was loaned out to Borussia Dortmund and it appeared that his career was getting back on track as he scored seven goals in ten German Bundesliga games.
However, his loan spell with Valencia in the first half of the on-going campaign was a forgettable one as he scored just one goal in four starts for the Spanish side. His season-long loan has been cut short after he failed to make his presence felt.
Why Crystal Palace would be a good move for him
Under the tutelage of Hodgson, Crystal Palace have impressed in patches, but they have failed to be consistent. They have picked up 22 points from 22 league games and are 14th in the standings.
Palace’s attackers have flattered to deceive this season. Jordan Ayew and Alexander Sorloth have failed miserably, and their weaknesses have put more pressure on Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend.
Connor Wickham has also been unreliable and Christian Benteke had a spell on the sidelines due to his injury. In such a situation, it would make a lot of sense to sign someone like Batshuayi to add more quality to the team as he offers something more than just Benteke or Sorloth’s presence in the box.
The Belgium international is a modern-day striker and resembles the qualities of a ‘fox in the box’.
The detractors might question his consistency but if he gets a good run of games, he will get you goals or at least create them as he is a good with the ball at his feet.
The Belgian’s spell with Borussia Dortmund last season showed if he is used the right way and has the faith of the manager, he can come good.
