Batshuayi loan to AS Monaco held back by new offers — reports

Michy Batshuayi’s loan to AS Monaco has looked all but certain to happen over the past week or so, but so far, nothing official has actually been finalized. In fact, if the latest reports are to be believed, his move to join up with former Belgium assistant coach Thierry Henry, former Chelsea director of football Michael Emenalo and recent Chelsea departee Cesc Fàbregas may not happen at all.

As per a report from RMC Sport (via Get French Football News), an influx of new offers is holding up the deal.

While both Napoli and Fiorentina are thinking loan first (with and without an option to buy, respectively), Everton may be willing to offer a transfer fee up front (£14-18m at last check). Chelsea are thus hoping to entice a bidding war to raise that fee, and as per HLN (via Sport Witness), have apparently offered Michy to other teams in England as well, including Crystal Palace and West Ham.

Michy however has his mind sent on the South of France — as Hazard said to Cesc about the lovely French Riviera, “I can think of worse places to go” — and is hoping that Chelsea will eventually sanction the half-season loan.

The one thing that seems abundantly clear is that Michy’s future lies away from Stamford Bridge. Neither Conte nor Sarri have rated him much at all over the past 18 months, and even though Chelsea spent big on him back in 2016, it might be time to cut our losses and move on — thus the potential emphasis on a permanent transfer rather than just another loan for the 25-year-old.

Stay tuned.