Chelsea transfer news: Michy Batshuayi determined to stay and fight Diego Costa for starts

Limited: Michy Batshuayi
AFP/Getty Images
Simon Johnson12 October 2016

Michy Batshuayi is not looking to leave Chelsea in January because he wants to stay and fight for his place.

Batshuayi has been linked with a number of clubs across Europe after struggling to get game time under coach Antonio Conte.

The Belgium international was Chelsea's second biggest signing of the summer when he joined from Marseille for £33.1m.

But he has played just 223 minutes for the first team so far this season, with his only starts coming in the EFL Cup wins over Bristol Rovers and Leicester.

Former club Marseille are interested in re-signing him on loan in the new year, while Juventus and AC Milan are also keen.

But Batshuayi is focused on proving himself to Conte and making his spell at Stamford Bridge a success.

The 23-year-old knew when he joined that he would be behind Diego Costa in the pecking order and was also being earmarked to be third choice this term if Chelsea signed Romelu Lukaku or Alvaro Morata as intended.

Batshuayi's lack of appearances is also due to the impressive form of Costa, who has scored six goals in seven League games.

But he looks certain to get his first League start soon because Costa has already picked up four yellow cards this term and needs just one more before the end of the year to be handed an automatic one game ban.

Chelsea are also not considering letting Batshuayi depart under any circumstances.

They regard him as a player of great potential and after failing to acquire Lukaku and Morata, he is the only real back-up to Costa in the squad.

The forward, who scored three goals against Watford and Bristol Rovers this term, was always seen as a player for the future and one to be gently phased into the side.

Chelsea's main priority in January is to buy defenders, rather than another striker, having started the campaign with only two clean sheets in nine matches.

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