Why Leeds United should take a chance with Michy Batshuayi
According to Football Insider (h/t Leeds Live), Leeds United are interested in signing £90,000-a-week Chelsea star Michy Batshuayi in the summer.
The 26-year-old came through the ranks of Standard Liege’s youth system and excelled with the club’s senior set-up before joining Marseille in the summer of 2016. In two years with the French outfit, he racked up 33 goals and 10 assists in 78 games before Chelsea signed him. However, his time at Stamford Bridge hasn’t been fruitful.
He had spent the majority of his Chelsea career on loan with clubs like Borussia Dortmund, Valencia and Crystal Palace but that didn’t help him. He has fallen down the pecking order under Frank Lampard and the arrival of Timo Werner has put him on the verge of an exit. Thus, Leeds should make a move for the Belgian.
The Whites have managed to return to the Premier League after a 16-year absence from the top-flight. Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa has developed them from a mid-table Championship side and has achieved their main target.
However, the manager should now focus on helping the team survive in the top-flight as it could be difficult for immediately after getting promoted. Thus, bringing in reinforcements could help them form a strong team to compete at the highest level.
Batshuayi could add depth to the Leeds attack
One key area which needs to be strengthened is the centre-forward position. At the moment, Patrick Bamford is the only established striker available at the manager’s disposal. The former Chelsea man topped the goalscoring list for Leeds this season with 16 goals but he has been inconsistent.
Youngster Jay-Roy Grot just returned from his loan spell with Vitesse Arnhem but could not find the back of the net regularly. And with just one striker in the squad, things could wrong for Leeds in the top-flight. Thus, they need to bring in a centre-forward in the ongoing transfer window and build a formidable squad.
In that regard, signing Batshuayi could come in handy for the club. The Belgian international hasn’t been successful in the last couple of years due to the lack of game time but he could improve with a different setup.
He has previously shown his potential when he started regularly for Marseille. And if he is able to replicate the same form, he could be a crucial player for the Whites in the future. His inclusion would add quality to Leeds’ attacking unit, whilst also adding depth, considering Bamford has performed decently so far for the club.
Read more
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- Why Fabian Delph would be a terrific addition for Leeds United
Verdict
Batshuayi is just 26 and could revive his career if he makes the move to Leeds, who are in dire need of centre-forwards. He could provide them with some much-needed firepower for the Whites. This move could be helpful for both the club and the player, who still has a lot more to offer at the highest level.
