Football
Liam Twomey, Chelsea correspondent 6y

Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi to join Valencia on season-long loan

Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi has joined Valencia on a season-long loan, the clubs have confirmed.

Batshuayi, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Borussia Dortmund, only spent a week training under new Chelsea coach Maurizio Sarri but was deemed surplus to requirements with Alvaro Morata, Olivier Giroud and Tammy Abraham all available.

"Chelsea Football Club has today agreed terms with Valencia for Michy Batshuayi to join the Spanish side on a season-long loan," a statement on the Chelsea website said.

Sources have told ESPN FC that there is no option to buy in the loan agreement.

Batshuayi joined Chelsea from Marseille for £33 million in 2016 but found Premier League minutes hard to come by, with Antonio Conte favouring Diego Costa and often deploying Eden Hazard as a false No. 9.

The Belgium international made 19 of his 20 league appearances in 2016-17 from the bench and scored five goals, including the strike that secured Chelsea the Premier League title at West Brom.

Costa's departure for Atletico Madrid the following summer did not increase Conte's use of Batshuayi, who made just 12 Premier League appearances in the first half of last season.

He joined Dortmund on loan in January and scored seven goals in 10 Bundesliga appearances before an ankle injury ended his club season.

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