Chelsea have announced the temporary departure of Michy Batshuayi, with the Belgian striker joining La Liga outfit Valencia on a season-long loan deal.
Chelsea have made an official statement to announce that Michy Batshuayi has embarked on his second temporary spell away from Stamford Bridge. The Belgian striker has agreed to join Valencia on a season-long loan deal after the two clubs reached an agreement over the transfer.
It has been a tough ride for Batshuayi ever since he joined Chelsea from Marseille in the summer of 2016. The player could never quite command a regular slot under Antonio Conte, with starts coming few and far between. In fact, the best football that he has played since moving to Stamford Bridge was during a shot loan stint at Borussia Dortmund in the second half of last season.
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— Valencia CF English ?? (@valenciacf_en) August 10, 2018
However, his travails at Chelsea were reportedly set to come to an end as Maurizio Sarri replaced Conte, with the new Blues boss planning to hand him a key role for this season. But, it looks like he has failed to command the faith of another Italian manager, with Sarri deciding against keeping Batshuayi after he returned to training this week.
Chelsea have thus, decided to temporarily part ways with the 24-year-old yet again. And, there weren’t any dearth of suitors for the player either, with Borussia Dortmund also being linked with him. But, the next destination for Batshuayi is La Liga, with Valencia winning the race to land him this summer.
Los Che were initially rumoured to be plotting a permanent transfer for the player. But, Chelsea were only willing to sanction a temporary move for the Belgian international. Nevertheless, Batshuayi should potentially be a fine addition for the La Liga outfit.
Marcelino currently has three strong options in Simone Zaza, Rodrigo and Santi Mina to occupy the two furthest positions in his side. But, Zaza is the only player who has been used as the main striker, with either Mina or Rodrigo playing off him. Valencia thus, had the need to land a striker this summer to bolster the manager’s options.
Batshuayi wasn’t the only player being heavily linked with a move to the Mestalla, with Kevin Gameiro another player who was being considered by the La Liga outfit. But, Valencia have finally zeroed in on the Chelsea striker as their preferred signing.
As far as Chelsea are concerned, the move to send Batshuayi on loan does seem to be a bit curious, with Alvaro Morata still not exuding confidence. But, the move could also point towards Tammy Abraham being considered as a possible alternative to the Spaniard, alongside Olivier Giroud.
Another important aspect of the deal that must be noted is the absence of an option to buy for Valencia, meaning Batshuayi could well be a part of Sarri’s plans going forward, provided he does well at the Mestalla. For now, Chelsea fans as well as Sarri would hope he enjoys as strong a stint as he did at Dortmund before he returns to the Bridge next summer.
