Of the three big striker moves that occurred during the January transfer window, the one with the least expectations would have been that of Michy Batshuayi loan move to Dortmund.
Purchased by the German club with an intention to replace star forward Aubameyang, Batshuayi was out of sorts at Chelsea since joining for £33m and the West Londoners couldn’t wait to part ways with the Belgian so that they could get Olivier Giroud in his place.
However, what transpired next was something no one could envision – Batshuayi hit the ground running at Dortmund and soon went on to prove his detractors wrong.
In 14 games, he scored 9 goals and added a few assists as well, before falling prey to injury. Nevertheless, his performances were enough to prove that Chelsea missed a trick by sending him away but they can make up for it if they decide to get him back.
How can they do that?
Easy answer but a really complex one to implement – loan Morata out. Despite commanding a massive fee, Morata’s first season at Stamford Bridge has to be classified as a failure.
After he began the Premier League season well, he faded in the second half and struggled to score. This, coupled with Olivier Giroud’s good run of form made it harder for him to nail down a starting spot and his confidence is probably at its all-time lowest now that he’s been snubbed from the Spain squad for the World Cup.
Batshuayi could just become the fulcrum of their attack once again should Chelsea decide to bring him back. His time in Germany must have no doubt added a layer of confidence to the usually self-assured striker.
Why do they need him?
Chelsea will need someone to challenge Giroud and since the both of them play as a target man, it could add an element of competition that could get the best out of both these players.
Alternatively, they could implement a system that favours both players even though the concept of two strikers is very rare these days.
Ultimately, Chelsea have a big summer and a big season ahead. They will need to keep hold of their best players and this could prompt an exodus of moves. Bringing back Batshuayi can prompt the feeling of stability if Chelsea get a new manager next season.