Batshuayi proving a bargain in triangle

Many will still remember the January transfer triangle like it happened yesterday. English clubs Chelsea and Arsenal, and Germany’s Borussia Dortmund got into ‘a trade’ synonymous’ with the NBA.
Chelsea bought Olivier Giroud from Arsenal. The latter broke their transfer record to acquire Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Dortmund.
The Rhur side got Michy Batshuayi, who was unwanted in London, on loan from Chelsea. Such interdependent deals involving as many clubs are uncommon in Europe.
Thereafter, all football fans started to make their preliminary assessment on who had got the better signing. Ordinarily, Aubameyang was a safe bet for all, both in the short and long term. The 28-year old not only suited Arsenal’s style but was pregnant with 141 goals in 213 games during his time at Dortmund. His career total was incredible going back to 2007-08. A finished article certainly.
In second place was Chelsea whose acquisition of Giroud represented a proven plan B as Alvaro Morata’s continues to misfire in a tough first season in England.
Batshuayi was clearly the least sumptuous of the three options on the menu. Not proven. Clumsy. And certainly not an Aubameyang, Michael Zorc or even Robert Lewandoski in that famous yellow stripe.
The Belgian is doing himself a lot of good in what has been an extremely poor season for Dortmund. It’s not just the seven goals in nine games that tell the whole story.
Under Antonio Conte, he lost every ounce of confidence and ability honed at Evere, Schaarbeek, Brussels and Anderlecht before Standard Liege picked on him. This is a player for whom Chelsea paid £33.2m to buy his 33 goals in 78 appearances for Marseille in a two-year spell. Coach Peter Stöger has found a diamond in ‘Batman’.
Many of his goals change the destiny of games. The first of those key moments was his debut brace in 3-2 Dortmund win at Cologne. The climax so far was last Sunday’s enthralling 3-2 victory Eintracht Frankfurt. Off the bench, Batshuayi scored twice in the closing minutes, including the last-gasp winner.
Stöger had seen his team concede an equaliser in the 91st minute to quieten the Signa Iduna Park. Dortmund have handed extensions to Marco Reus and Lukasz Piszczek recently. At 24, Batshuayi is worth the gamble if they can sign him on permanently from Chelsea. This being a World Cup year, it’s impossible to discuss any player without contextualizing what they can do for their national team.
Belgium’s current side, the golden generation, are not yet a team. There is no reason why Batshuayi isn’t a capable plan B to Romelu Lukaku, and ahead of Christian Benteke in Roberto Martinez’s pecking order.

TODAY’s FIXTURES
Gladbach vs. Hoffenheim (World, 5.30PM)
Frankfurt vs. Mainz (Premium, 5.30PM)
Augsburg vs. Bremen (Arena, 5.30PM)
Hamburg vs. Hertha Berlin (Focus, 5.30PM)
Wolfsburg vs. Schalke (World, 8.30PM)
TOMORROW
Dortmund vs. Hannover (World, 3.30PM)
Köln vs. Leverkusen (World, 5.30PM)
Leipzig vs. Bayern (World, 8PM)

BATSHUAYI AT A GLANCE
Full name: Michy Batshuayi-Atunga
Date of birth: 2 October 1993 (age 24)
Place of birth: Brussels, Belgium
Height: 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position: Striker
Team: B. Dortmund (loan from Chelsea)
Number: 44 (42 in UEFA Europa League)
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2014: Standard Liège 97 (39)
2014–2016: Marseille 62 (26)
2016– Todate: Chelsea 32 (7)
2018– Todate: B. Dortmund (loan) 6 (5)
National team: 2012–2014 11 (5)