Good news for Batshuayi’s World Cup hopes, bad news for Belgium’s opponents

Michy Batshuayi is “expected to be fit” for the World Cup, according to the latest injury update from the Daily Mail, who claim that the Chelsea striker will return to training in about ten days after undergoing some intense rehab at Cobham.

Initial fears that he had broken the ankle in the derby against Schalke 04 were unfounded, but scans still revealed plenty of ligament damage. But if he’s able to return to training in the next two weeks, he will have been out only for a month, and then will have another month to get fully healthy, recovered, and fit. Ligament injuries can linger most annoyingly, so he will have to be careful not to push it too quickly and cause further damage, but it sounds like he will be ready to contribute to the Red Devils’ cause in Russia this summer. (As will Romelu Lukaku, who had his own injury scare the other day but will be fit, and for the FA Cup final, too.)

Batshuayi had a stellar, if brief, loan campaign at Borussia Dortmund — who will undoubtedly make a strong play for him during the transfer window — and will be hoping to continue that scintillating goal-scoring form at the World Cup, where Belgium have been drawn in a group with Panama, Tunisia, and England. Bad news for those guys; good news for Michy!