Leeds Interested in Move for Forgotten Chelsea Striker Michy Batshuayi
By George Cannon
Leeds United are interested in signing Chelsea outcast Michy Batshuayi, which could hands the Blues a huge boost in their effort to raise additional transfer funds this summer.
The former Marseille striker was already way down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge - behind both Olivier Giroud and Tammy Abraham - and the arrival of RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner has almost certainly brought the curtain down on his four-year stay in west London.
Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa already knows the Belgian international well from their time together in France and now, according to the Evening Standard, the Argentine is keen to reunite with Batshuayi again at Elland Road.
Batshuayi has had loan spells at Valencia, Borussia Dortmund and Crystal Palace in recent years - to varying levels of success - but with Chelsea head coach Frank Lampard now keen to bolster his defensive line, as well as continuing to pursue Kai Havertz, a permanent move away from the club is now sought.
The defeated FA Cup finalists have already spent over £80m on Hakim Ziyech and Werner, so selling fringe players to help balance the books is very much the order of the day. Victor Moses, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Danny Drinkwater are other players in a similar boat.
Batshuayi started just one Premier League game during 2019/20, but did still manage to register eight goals and three assists from 24 appearances in all competitions.
A return to Crystal Palace - who the Belgian scored five goals for in 11 games in a previous loan spell - isn't out of the question, with Roy Hodgson's side desperately light on options last season. West Ham have also been mooted as a potential destination, with the 26-year-old tipped as a potential makeweight in a move for Declan Rice.
Leeds may be the team most in need now, as they look for a striker capable of maintaining their Premier League status. The Whites are back in the top flight for the first time in 16 years, and currently only have Patrick Bamford - who scored 16 times last season - as a recognisable option up front.