Antonio Conte to assess if Michy Batshuayi is ready to play for Chelsea if Borussia Dortmund move falls through
Batshuayi is expected to leave on loan before the window closes as Olivier Giroud arrives at the club
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Your support makes all the difference.Antonio Conte says he will speak to Michy Batshuayi to see if he is ready to play on Wednesday against Bournemouth, if any loan move falls through.
The Chelsea manager wants to bring in a new striker, set to be Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud, and will then let the player go out on a temporary move, but the situation remains uncertain, and is complicated by the fact the champions are without the injured Alvaro Morata for the match. Borussia Dortmund and Sevilla are both interested in the young striker.
“For sure, in this type of situation, the coach has to speak with the player, no?” Conte said. “With the player involved in this type of situation, it’s not simple, this situation with Batshuayi. There is only one day. It's not the best situation for me or the player but, as you know very well, the transfer market in January is not simple.
“To find a solution for players coming in and going out. But the player knows very well the situation. Today he trained well and I prepared the game with him. But you don't know what will happen tonight or tomorrow. We must be ready to face every situation. It's not the best situation to face, but we have to face it.”
For his part, Batshuayi wants to get regular football for a while, and is why he is similarly willing to go out on loan.
Conte meanwhile feels the situation is precisely why fixtures should not be played on deadline day.
“Yes, it's not right to have a match when there is the deadline passing on the market... this is not right. Not right. You can have this type of situation. To have players who stay half and half. In the future, whoever decides the fixtures should reflect a bit before deciding to prepare this type of situation. Now I have to face this situation. There are many coaches who don't like to have a game when there is the deadline of the transfer market.”
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