Craig Burley has commented on rumours linking Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi with West Ham United.
Pundit Craig Burley has told ESPN that he thinks there is no chance of West Ham United signing Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi on loan in January.
The Hammers will be casting their net far and wide during next month’s transfer window, as summer signings Simone Zaza and Jonathan Calleri have failed to settle, and have even failed to score for the club.
Chelsea’s Michy Batshuayi in action with Everton’s Ashley Williams
The Sun recently reported that West Ham would like to re-sign striker Jermain Defoe from Sunderland more than 12 years since he left the Hammers for London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, and that interest could be due to missing out on a top target.
Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi was a major target for West Ham during the summer transfer window before he chose to join the Blues, but he’s played just 78 minutes of Premier League action this season.
Chelsea’s Michy Batshuayi celebrates scoring against Watford
The Belgian international has served as cover for Diego Costa this season, but may get a chance to shine against Bournemouth on Boxing Day given that Costa is suspended after picking up five yellow cards.
Last weekend, the Daily Mail reported that West Ham wanted to take Batshuayi on loan for the rest of the season, but the Blues had told them that there was little chance of their summer signing from Marseille being allowed to leave.
Now, former Chelsea midfielder and current pundit Craig Burley has commented on the situation, telling ESPN that manager Antonio Conte would be mad to let Batshuayi go given the lack of depth up front.
Burley noted that Costa has a tendency to get injured or suspended, meaning that Conte needs as many bodies in attack as he can get, which should block West Ham’s move to land Batshuayi in January
“Costa is suspended for the Bournemouth game, and he’s the only one who can really come in,” he added. “There’s not a prayer that Antonio Conte can let a striker go, because if Costa gets injured – and he’s the man at the moment – but if he gets injured, or gets suspended, or loses his head again, then he is completely stuffed, because he’s got nobody to come in.”
“He needs all the bodies, and it’s not as if he’s got three, four or five backup strikers to come in – [Batshuayi] is not leaving,” he added.
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