Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi hints at loan move next season

Newcastle and West Ham target Michy Batshuayi has hinted that he’ll be allowed to leave Premier League champions Chelsea on loan next season, reports The Newcastle Chronicle.

The 23-year-old moved to Stamford Bridge last summer for £33 million, but has struggled to dispose Diego Costa of the main striking role in Antonio Conte’s side, earning just one Premier League start all season.

Nonetheless, the Belgium international has still managed to net nine times in all competitions this term, five of which coming in the league, yet it seems unlikely, even if Costa leaves Chelsea this summer, that Batshuayi will be the number one forward at the West London outfit.

And this lack of first team football has attracted interest from Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle and Slaven Bilic’s West Ham, and Batshuayi’s recent comments may further intensify their interest in the £21.25 million-rated forward (as per Transfermarkt).

He said: ‘I’m a player and I’ll go wherever Chelsea sends me.’

Clearly, it appears that the 23-year-old will be heading out on loan next term, and with both Newcastle and West Ham needing to strengthen their forward options ahead of their Premier League campaigns next season, they are likely to retain their interest and perhaps make it concrete over the coming weeks.

Batshuayi was unable to add the FA Cup to his Premier League winners medal on Saturday, after the Blues lost 2-1 to Arsenal at Wembley, and it doesn’t look like he’ll be adding to his nine-goal tally for the club next season either.