English Premier League champions Chelsea may play without a recognized striker when they face Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth tonight should striker Michy Batshuayi get a loan move to Borussia Dortmund tonight.
Reports by the UK-based media, Standard UK reveal that the Belgian striker could be set to travel to Germany to finalize the move before sunset, 5PM UK time.
Batshuayi is said to have been allowed to travel and as a consequence he did not appear at the team hotel as the squad trains ahead of clash with premier league side Bournemouth.
Chelsea are interested in bringing in Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud on a price of £18m as his replacement. This came after their attempt to secure a loan bid for the Frenchman was turned by their rivals. Giroud has been treated as a surplus player at the Emirates, where he often comes off the bench. He is said to be pushing for a move away from the club as he seeks regular games in preaparation for World Cup.
Same quest for being selected in World Cup squad is what is seen as the reason that is pushing Michy Batshuayi to Dortmund.
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The German club is understood to be looking for an immediate replacement for Arsenal-bound Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Sources indicate that Aubameyang has had his medical at Arsenal ahead of £60m move. Gabonese hitman is set to become the highest paid player in Arsenal should the move become a success.
Meanwhile, Chelsea will be without various players as they entertain Bournemouth in the premier league at Stamford Bridge.
Willian is out injured with a hamstring injury, Alvaro Morata is an absentee with back pains as well as Cesc Fabregas who has hamstring injury, and David Luiz with ankle injury.
