Fenerbahce ‘press the button’ on Michy Batshuayi deal amid Leeds United transfer interest
Fenerbahce chiefs have taken immediate action to keep Michy Batshuayi at the club after Leeds United made their move to sign him, according to Fanatik.
Writing on their website (2 April), the Turkish news outlet report that the Istanbul club want to keep the Belgium striker beyond this season and have pressed the button on a new deal after his 21 goals this season.
Leeds want to sign him on a free transfer, but Fenerbahce hold an option to extend his stay by a further 12 months and are now ready to sit down and hold talks over a fresh contract for the 30-year-old former Premier League champion.
Batshuayi a solid signing for Leeds United
Leeds have done a really good job this season of sharing the goals around the squad, with Crysencio Summerville leading the way and both Daniel James and Joel Piroe hitting double figures across all competitions too.
But while that works excellently in the Championship, the lack of a natural goalscorer in the Premier League is arguably what cost the team their place in the top flight last time out.
Batshuayi has always been able to score goals when being a regular in the team, and his 21 goals this season in Turkey have them in contention for another league title.
Leeds are likely to be able to pay a decent wage and on a free transfer he could be a shrewd arrival at Elland Road, so it’s no surprise that Fenerbahce are looking to tie him down.
While it would be a blow to the club’s transfer plans if he didn’t arrive, it certainly wouldn’t be the end of the world and the board will know it would have been a coup anyway so surely there will be alternative plans and targets in place.
In other Leeds news, Paul Merson has reacted to a “mind-blowing” development live on Sky Sports.
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