Chelsea have announced the signing of the Marseille striker Michy Batshuayi on a five-year contract.
The 22-year-old Belgium striker, who has joined Chelsea for a reported £33.2m after two successful years at the Stade Velodrome, said: “I am delighted to sign for one of the biggest clubs in Europe and embark on the next chapter in my career. I hope I can help Chelsea win many trophies during my time at Stamford Bridge.
“Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois have told me many good things about the club, and with Antonio Conte coming in it’s an exciting time to become a Chelsea player.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for myself and my family, I am looking forward to playing in the Premier League next season.”
Batshuayi began his career at Standard Liège and joined Marseille in the summer of 2014, scoring 15 goals in his first season with the club. He took a step forward last season with 26 goals, including 17 in Ligue 1 even as Marseille struggled to 13th in the table – just nine points clear of the relegation zone.
His performances earned him a place in Belgium’s Euro 2016 squad and he immediately announced himself on his tournament debut, scoring within two minutes of his introduction as a substitute against Hungary in the last 16.
Batshuayi had been the subject of bids from West Ham and Juventus earlier this summer before Crystal Palace had a £31.6m offer accepted by the Marseille president, Vincent Labrune. However, the player had reservations about moving to Selhurst Park and Chelsea’s late entry into the auction turned his head.
