Leeds United: Carlton Palmer responds as Michy Batshuayi transfer news emerges at Elland Road
Carlton Palmer has warned Leeds United off of a transfer move for Fenerbahce striker Michy Batshuayi after his disappointing time at Chelsea in the Premier League.
The former Leeds man insisted that while bringing him in for free would be an advantage, the club would be better looking for younger options to bolster their squad.
Palmer also claimed any deal would likely be expensive given Batshuayi’s wages, and shared his view that the striker would not be a good fit under Daniel Farke.
Speaking to Football League World [19 March], Palmer explained: “The problem that they have is that Batshuayi might be available on a free, so that is an advantage, he has got Premier League experience but wasn’t overly convincing in his time at Chelsea, and he is 30 years of age.
“On a free, as a squad player, would he be an option? Yes. But I don’t think it’s the right option for Daniel Farke going forward.
“Obviously, there is that balance when fingers crossed, Leeds get promoted to the Premier League from the Championship, there’s that bridge where you just want to, that first season, stay in the division.
“So you need people who have that experience of the Premier League which he does have, and he has international experience as well. But I think he’s likely to be expensive, and I think Leeds would be better off looking for somebody younger and who has had a major impact in the Premier League.”
Could Leeds United sign Michy Batshuayi this summer?
Despite the recognisable name thanks to his spells in the Premier League, Batshuayi’s career has been a curious one. The striker has never seemed to settle at any club despite the early signs of promise in his career.
17 goals and nine assists across 36 games for Marseille earned him the move to Chelsea, where he recorded just eight league goals in three seasons. A loan spell at Crystal Palace saw him score five goals in 11 games, but he managed just two in 18 after making the permanent switch.
His time in Turkey has been more consistent, scoring 14 goals in 33 games for Besiktas, and has now scored 21 goals in 40 games for Fenerbahce, but whether that makes him good enough for Leeds is unlikely, particularly given his age.
At 30 years old, and given the form of Patrick Bamford and alternative options in Joel Piroe and Mateo Joseph, it’s difficult to see why Leeds would pursue this deal ahead of others come the summer.
In other Leeds United news, France made an official announcement about Georginio Rutter.
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