According to Telegraph, Everton are interested in the services of Chelsea forward Michy Batshuayi, whose loan spell will be cut short by Valencia following a disastrous performance in La Liga.
The Toffees, are, therefore, exploring the possibility of a potential deal for the Belgian international, especially after Valencia’s sporting director Mateu Alemany confirmed that they are negotiating the player’s exit with several clubs across Europe.
Michy Batshuayi: A Risk Worth Taking?
Batshuayi initially became a hot prospect in the market last summer, following his fiery performance during the second half of the 2017/18 campaign with Borussia Dortmund. He netted as many as seven goals in just ten league matches during that period, helping Dortmund secure qualification to Champions League football.
However, the Belgian has been in terrible form at Valencia this season, scoring just one goal in 15 matches. And his underwhelming performances so far has been one of the main reasons behind Valencia’s insipid showing this campaign, with the Oranges dawdling in the mid-table region.
Normally a lethal finisher in front of goal, the 25-year-old has often appeared tentative with the ball and more often than not, has failed to find the target, which is clearly reflected in his dismal scoring record this campaign.
The on-loan Chelsea forward has averaged 1.2 shots on target per 90 minutes this season for the La Liga side, which is lower than what he managed during his time with Dortmund(1.5 shots on target per 90) last season.
Furthermore, his overall work-rate has substantially dropped as well and the fact that Batshuayi has been dispossessed thrice every ninety minutes is far from acceptable for a player of his calibre. This could be a worrying prospect for coach Marco Silva, who likes to keep things efficient at both ends of the pitch.
But at the same time, Batshuayi is undoubtedly one of the most talented Belgian attackers, who has already proven his quality earlier this year.
Although Richarlison has done a decent job since being deployed as a centre-forward this season, Batshuayi’s clever positioning and a striker’s instinct inside the penalty area is something the Brazilian has failed to deliver and to that end, the Chelsea star could actually turn out to be a viable option for the Toffees.
If we take into consideration, his awful record with Valencia this season, there is always a risk associated in signing Batshuayi but a loan deal till the end of the season certainly wouldn’t hurt Everton from a financial perspective, especially with Chelsea likely to sign a new forward this month.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored
