Chelsea’s Michy Batshuayi is being widely linked with a return to Ligue 1 this morning.
According to reports in France, Saint Etienne are looking to break their salary cap in order to sign the former Olympique de Marseille striker in January.
Etienne are currently running a strict wage policy, as they’re yet to pay a single one of their players more than €100,000-a-month. Signing Batshuayi would thus be a big sacrifice, with the Belgium international currently earning €300,000-a-month at Stamford Bridge.
Despite Batshuayi seeming quite happy with his life at the club, he must be keen on a first-team role to boost his chances in next summer’s World Cup campaign. Chelsea would allow him to leave as well, but preferrably on loan. In the end, the club did spend £33 million to sign him in the first place.
This is also the way Etienne would like to go down on, as Batshuayi hasn’t really proved himself on weekly basis during his time at Chelsea. He’s bagged seven goals in 13 appearances this season, but most of them have come off the bench.
Should Chelsea let Batshuayi leave at the start of next year, Antonio Conte would have to find a new striker right away as the team can’t certainly go on till the end of the campaign with just one forward (Alvaro Morata) in the side.
