Batshuayi could leave on loan as Chelsea step up pursuit of £80m Lemar

Chelsea’s interest in Monaco forward Thomas Lemar could open the door for Michy Batshuayi to leave on loan in next month’s transfer window – potentially in the opposite direction.

Batshuayi was named on the bench for Chelsea’s Premier League trip to Huddersfield Town on Tuesday, despite the fact that Alvaro Morata was ruled out with injury.

Head coach Antonio Conte preferred to go with a front three of Eden Hazard, Willian and Pedro than give Batshuayi a rare start, and the move paid off as Chelsea ran out 3-1 winners with Willian and Pedro both on target.

Batshuayi is likely to get a chance in the League Cup quarter-final against Bournemouth next week, but Chelsea have now won each of the four games that Conte has deployed Hazard as a “false nine” when he has been without an outand-out striker.

Chelsea have been looking for a target man to help out Morata, but the club are also weighing up a bid for £80 million-rated Lemar, who would offer Conte a host of options. One of those would be to play with a “false nine” more regularly, as Lemar can operate on the left, right or in the centre and would allow Hazard even greater freedom.

Chelsea’s interest in Lemar raises the prospect of Monaco asking for players in return and the French club’s sporting director Michael Emenalo is a big fan of Batshuayi,

Sitting it out: Michy Batshuayi has failed to win over Chelsea manager Antonio Conte who he helped to bring to Stamford Bridge before his resignation.

Monaco were among the clubs interested in Batshuayi in the summer, but Chelsea decided to keep hold of the Belgian after missing out on Fernando Llorente.

Another Chelsea player who could be available for loan is winger Charly Musonda, who last week signed a new contract. Conte has insisted Musonda would need to be replaced if he were to join another club in January, which may explain Chelsea’s reported interest in Bayer Leverkusen’s Leon Bailey.

Bailey, 20, is a player Chelsea have followed since his days at Genk and the winger is represented by the same company as Musonda.

One player who has claimed he is not looking for a way out of Chelsea in January is Willian, whose start against Huddersfield was just his eighth in the league this season.

Asked about his future, having been linked with Manchester United, Willian said: “I am always happy at Chelsea. I really like this club a lot with my heart.

“The fans can be calm. I am a Chelsea player and I am very pleased with the way I have been playing in recent weeks.”