If there is one thing West Ham United fans are sick of, it is being linked with Chelsea flop Michy Batshuayi.
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Well now it seems the death knell has finally been sounded on that oft-regurgitated rumour.
That’s after Batshuayi himself delivered an emphatic verdict on a potential move to West Ham.
West Ham and the Batshuayi saga finally dead?
According to Foot Mercato and Get French Football News, Batshuayi is determined to leave Chelsea permanently this window.
It comes after several loans fo Borussia Dortmund, Valencia and Crystal Palace.
It was West Ham of course who first registered an interest in the Belgian forward back in 2016.
West Ham wanted the then Marseille star to be their marquee signing going into a new era at the London Stadium.
But Batshuayi, 26, snubbed the Hammers and elected for a move to Chelsea instead.
It has been like groundhog day regarding West Ham and Batshuayi ever since.
After snubbing West Ham for Chelsea in 2016 after the Hammers had a £30million bid accepted by Marseille he has been linked with both loan and permanent moves to the London Stadium since (The Express and Sky Sports).
Striker makes it clear he doesn’t fancy Hammers move – report
And he has once again made it clear he does not want to play for West Ham according to Foot Mercato and Get French Football News.
“Michy Batshuayi has decided to leave Chelsea on a permanent basis this summer,” GFFN and Foot Mercato report.
“Signed by the Blues for €39m in 2016, Batshuayi is living his final moments at the London club. After a series of unimpressive loan spells, the ex-Marseille striker wants to make a decisive career move this summer so that he gives himself the best possible chance to make the Belgium squad for the Euros next year.
“Batshuayi has no intention of moving to a club in Belgium, nor West Ham United, which was a lazy tabloid rumour.”
Goal record is decent but a snub too far
In fairness to Batshuayi, the striker actually has a decent goal record at Stamford Bridge. Indeed throughout his career it is pretty respectable.
He has scored 25 goals in 77 games for the Blues. Not bad considering much of his game time has come as a substitute.
Batshuayi had a record of a goal every other game for Dortmund and Palace which was also the case in his last season at Marseille with 23 in less than 50 appearances.
But he has long since burned his bridges with West Ham fans.
And supporters will be hoping this is the end of the West Ham and Batshuayi saga once and for all.
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