Valencia sporting director Mateu Alemany has confirmed Michy Batshuayi will cut short his season-long loan and return to Chelsea.
The 25-year-old Belgian forward joined the Spanish top division outfit last summer but has struggled to hold down a starting berth under Los Che manager Marcelino.
How has Batshuayi got on at Valencia? Five key things to know…
- Batshuayi joined Chelsea from Marseille in July 2016 though has spent the last year out on loan.
- He would complete second half of the 2017/18 season at Borussia Dortmund where he registered nine goals in 14 matches before sustaining a serious ankle injury.
- With no place for him under current Blues manager Maurizio Sarri, Batshuayi signed a season-long loan deal with Valencia.
- However, the Belgian forward has struggled for playing time as well as in front of goal leading to Valencia terminating his loan.
- Batshuayi leaves Valencia with three goals across 23 appearances, completing the full 90 minutes on just four occasions.
Since joining on a season-long loan from Chelsea last summer Batshuayi has subsequently featured 23 times under Marcelino in all competitions but just four of those appearances saw him complete the full 90 minutes.
Whenever the Belgian marksman has played he’s barely punished the opposition goalkeeper. Batshuayi would register three goals with one of those coming in La Liga.
Valencia, who currently sit 12th, feel it’s best for all concerned to go their separate ways – a thought echoed by Alemany.
“The player knows this and we hope that soon it can be solved for the good of all the parties,” he told reporters.
Is there a future at Chelsea for Batshuayi?
Batshuayi’s imminent return to Chelsea raises a few question notably whether or not there’s a place for him under Maurizio Sarri.
That wasn’t the case last summer when he was free to leave the club – albeit temporarily – but things have changed. For one, the Blues are struggling for goals, of the Premier League’s top six clubs they’ve registered the fewest (38 across 21 matches).
Eden Hazard, as the case last season, is their leading scorer but has barely been supported by traditional centre-forwards Álvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud with the former rumoured to leave the club this month.
Batshuayi, who has bagged 19 goals in 53 matches for the west London club, does offer Sarri and Chelsea’s board a cheaper alternative than purchasing Gonzalo Higuaín.
The post Valencia confirm Michy Batshuayi’s Chelsea return as Marcelino’s patience “runs out” appeared first on Squawka News.
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