Player Profile: Michy Batshuayi
The recent exits of Andre-Pierre Gignac and Andre Ayew have caused Marseille fans to become concerned about the future prospects for the club, losing two firm fan favourites who contributed goals and assists over many seasons. Gignac scored 77 goals in 186 appearances for the club, whilst Ayew scored 60 goals in 202 appearances, both moving on to new clubs this summer.
Despite this disappointment, these exits could provide Michy Batshuayi with the chance to become the leader of the attack. Signed from Standard Liege last summer for a fee that could rise to £4.3million, the then 20-year-old had just finished second in the goal scoring charts in Belgium with 21 league goals attracting interest from the likes of Porto, Tottenham, Arsenal and Schalke. The decision to join Marseille was a surprise to some, but Batshuayi believed it was a logical progressive step, stating that:
‘You can tell straight away that it’s a superior league [Ligue 1]. Here at Marseille I am surrounded by big names. It wasn’t the case in Belgium. So of course it’s harder for me to impose myself here, but that’s why I came here, and I know if I manage to overcome these difficulties then I’ll come out a stronger player.‘
The start of his Marseille career was rather slow, as Batshuayi watched from the bench as his team made a flying start to the new season under Marcelo Bielsa, and lead the table for the opening months. The large reputation that followed his arrival caused Batshuayi to struggle initially under the weight of expectation, playing in front of greater crowds and to a larger audience. Bielsa was cautious in his use of the striker, bringing the youngster off the bench for short cameos.
The turning point came when Batshuayi made his first start in the 2-1 win against Lille at the Velodrome on 21st December. He scored, showcasing the power with his back to goal as he rifled a right foot shot into the top corner. Afterwards Batshuayi was quick to praise Bielsa:
‘I owe a great debt to the coach for showing his faith in me and giving me the starting role. When I was on the bench I was desperate to get on and then to start a match. This is a club dear to my heart and when I scored the goal I let out all the emotion. I think I have taken a step forward today.‘
2015 suddenly initiated the career of the striker in France, coming off the bench to score within 55 seconds away against Saint-Etienne, with the striker then adding another 3 minutes later to score his first Ligue 1 brace. These goals signalled the explosive talent of the striker. The confidence gained from these vital goals was seen in future fixtures as Batshuayi scored 2 goals against Toulouse in a 6-1 rout, and another 2 goals away to Lens in a 4-0 win. The variety of the goals scored signalled the talent of the Belgian, finishing with both feet and possessing a terrific leap in the air when attacking crosses.
Towards the end of the season, Batshuayi was starting to get rid of the unwanted tag of ‘super-sub’, with Bielsa giving the young striker the starting position in front of the experienced Gignac, ending the season with 9 goals from 26 appearances. The rapid acceleration in his progress in 2015 was rewarded when Batshuayi received his first call up for the Belgian national team. The striker had a dream debut as he scored within 3 minutes of coming on against Cyprus in a Euro 2016 qualifying match. Competing against the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Christian Benteke, whilst also training with European stars like Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne. will only bring the best out of Batshuayi.
With Marseille looking to reduce the wage bill this summer, there is every chance that Michy Batshuayi will be tasked with leading the line for his team. The youth and vibrancy of Batshuayi along with Thauvin and the newly signed Nkoudou will mean a fresh attacking line-up, one that could excite fans of Marseille and football in general.