‘That front-three would excite me’ – Exclusive: Phillips thrilled by potential WBA striker move
We’re delighted to welcome former West Brom striker Kevin Phillips as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at The Hawthorns…
Kevin Phillips is excited by the prospect of West Brom signing Michy Batshuayi from Chelsea before the transfer window closes next month.
Batshuayi, 26, is deemed as surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge after starting just one Premier League match last season [ESPN] and, according to the Express & Star, the Baggies are eyeing a loan swoop for the Belgium international.
West Brom have acquired Matheus Pereira and Grady Diangana on permanent deals since the end of last season and Phillips thinks that those two either side of Batshuayi would get fans off their seats.
“Batshuayi could be a smart signing,” Phillips told West Brom News.
“He’s got that experience. He knows the Premier League and we’ve all seen what he can produce.
“If you get him on loan – yes. But if you’re having to pay over the odds, probably not.
“You would like to think Batshuayi would want to come and prove that he is a Premier League player and try to get his career back on track.
“If you could add him to the squad with Pereira on one side and Diangana on the other, that front-three would excite me without a shadow of a doubt.”
Batshuayi hasn’t had the most luck at Chelsea but he has proven time and time again that he knows where the back of the net is.
He has 16 goals in 29 caps for Belgium, with one of those goals coming at the 2018 World Cup.
In 77 appearances for Chelsea, he’s averaged around a goal every three games by scoring 25 goals.
Among those goals have been strikes against Atletico Madrid, Ajax and Manchester United while Batshuayi also netted nine times in 14 outings on loan at Borussia Dortmund and six times in 13 Crystal Palace appearances.
Batshuayi just hasn’t been handed enough chances at Chelsea to show why he can be a good Premier League striker and West Brom will definitely hand him those chances all season long.
In other West Brom news, the Baggies have been linked with a Chelsea defender.
Be sure to follow West Brom News on Facebook and Twitter for 24/7 updates on the Baggies and more exclusive interviews with Kevin Phillips.