Chelsea Transfer News: Michy Batshuayi Interest from PSG, Latest Blues Rumours

Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly interested in recruiting Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi on loan this January. 

ESPN FC's Jonathan Johnson relayed the news from French outlet L'Equipe:

According to Simon Johnson of the London Evening Standard, Les Parisiens are in the market for another forward to compete with Edinson Cavani up top, and with Batshuayi free to play in the UEFA Champions League, he's of even greater interest.

The Belgium international has played just 395 minutes of football for Chelsea since arriving from Marseille in a £33.1 million deal in the summer.

Per football journalist Dan Levene, Blues boss Antonio Conte has recently explained Batshuayi's struggle for game time:

When he has got on the pitch, he's perhaps been so desperate to impress it has affected his play, as noted by Bleacher Report UK's Garry Hayes and ESPN FC's Liam Twomey during Chelsea's 4-1 FA Cup third-round win over Peterborough United on Sunday:

Nevertheless, he did score and provide an assist in that game, taking his tally to four and two, respectively, for the season—one or the other every 66 minutes he's been on the pitch.

The 23-year-old is still a little raw, and his start to life at Chelsea has not gone as expected—particularly given his hefty transfer fee—but he still has an abundance of potential and can be a success at Stamford Bridge in the long term, so it's unsurprising the Blues are not yet willing to cut their losses on him.

Meanwhile, according to Emanuele Giulianelli and Anthony Chapman's exclusive in The Sun, Chelsea are interested in signing wantaway West Ham United midfielder Dimitri Payet this winter.

Hammers boss Slaven Bilic broke the news of Payet's request to leave on Thursday but also made clear the club want to keep the player, per Sky Sports News HQ:

Sports broadcaster Ian Abrahams reacted strongly to the news, per TalkSport's Alan Brazil, though Adrian Durham of the same outlet was less shocked:

The France international has not always been at his best this season but has three goals and eight assists in all competitions.

His creativity and pinpoint accuracy from set pieces make him an exceptional playmaker, and he's a significant goal threat, particularly from outside the box—Bilic's announcement will no doubt have attracted a great deal of attention from all quarters.

West Ham have invested much in the 29-year-old, having given him a £50,000-per-week pay rise last February just half a season after he arrived at the club on a five-year deal.

As such, it's understandable they're holding on to the hope that refusing to budge will see him reconsider.

If they do relent and allow him to go, it's highly unlikely they would permit him to join local rivals Chelsea—a return to Marseille seems much more probable.