Chelsea’s Michy Batshuayi Joins Turkish Side Fenerbahçe

The transfer window in England closed last night but business is not done all across Europe and in Turkey, they will be able to make transfers until the 8th of September. Chelsea’s Michy Batshuayi is in country joining Fenerbahçe.

According to Fabrizio Romano:

"Official. Michy Batshuayi leaves Chelsea and joins Fenerbahçe as deal has been completed today — after Nottingham Forest move collapsed. #Fenerbahçe"

Is this the right club for Batshuayi?

Batshuayi spent last season on loan in Turkey with one of Fenerbahçe’s rivals Beşiktaş. The club who have just signed Dele Alli. Whilst at Beşiktaş, the forward scored 14 goals and made five assists in 42 games for the club. They finished 6th last season so will not be in Europe.

Fenerbahçe finished 2nd and will be competing in the Europa League this season so it is a step up for Batshuayi to join them. The World Cup is not far away and regular playing time is necessary if him is to make sure he is starting for Belgium in Qatar.

Roberto Martinez’s side has options upfront with the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Christian Benteke and Divock Origi. Apart from Benteke, all of these players play in one of the top five leagues in European football, he will have his work cut out making sure he is leading the line.

Although, he has started their last three Nations League matches.

At the last World Cup in 2018, Batshuayi played three times and scored once against Tunisia. He has the same record in the Euros of one goal in three games across both Euro 2016 and 2018. So the forward will be looking to make his mark in Qatar.

Batshuayi’s Career at Chelsea

In total for Chelsea Batshuayi played 77 times, scoring 25 goals and creating six assists. He won the Premier League with the club in 2017.

However, he has been on loan five times since 2018 at Borussia Dortmund, Valencia, Crystal Palace (twice) and Beşiktaş. The player has been a nomad all his career, including at the youth level where he played for Evere, Schaarbeek, Brussels (twice), and Anderlecht. He then went to Standard Liège where he made his senior debut before joining Marseille and then moving to Stamford Bridge.

Batshuayi’s last spell in the Premier League was at Palace during the 2021/22 season where he scored just two goals and assisted twice in 18 games. So a drop to Turkey may be the level for him. He had a proposed move to Nottingham Forest last night. However, the deal fell through at the last minute on deadline day.

Chelsea does not need him as they signed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang yesterday on deadline day.  They also have Armando Broja amongst their ranks and Batshuayi was not even given a squad number for this season.

He is clearly not going to get the game time he needs with Thomas Tuchel’s side and at 28 now he needs to find a club where he can settle. Hopefully, for him, this will be with Fenerbahçe and he can keep his place in the Belgium team for the upcoming World Cup.