Saturday 2 July 2016 19:39, UK
Michy Batshuayi has confirmed he will leave Marseille this summer with Chelsea seemingly the favourites to sign the Belgium striker.
The 22-year-old has been linked with a host of leading European clubs, but Sky sources reported on Thursday that he passed a medical - undertaken in Bordeaux - to become Antonio Conte's first summer signing.
Batshuayi was given special dispensation to leave the Belgium camp by head coach Marc Wilmots and was met by Chelsea's team doctor in Bordeaux ahead of a potential £33m move to Stamford Bridge.
The former Standard Liege striker was previously linked with Tottenham and Crystal Palace and scored 17 goals in 36 Ligue 1 appearances for Marseille last season.
In a statement on Saturday, Batshuayi wrote: "This should be formalised tomorrow, but I am going to leave Marseille this summer.
"First of all I want to especially thank the supporters of Marseille - during these two years within the club I loved since I was little you showed me all your love and support.
"It is a great honour for me to have worn this shirt at the Velodrome, a stage you knew how to make beautiful with this unique atmosphere in France.
"I thank the leaders of Marseille for trusting me and the technical staff with whom I worked, who helped me a lot to mature and to make progress.
"I have evolved in a season under coach [Marcelo] Bielsa. It has been a privilege and I'd like to accomplish everything he told me I can in the rest of my career.
"I hope I can continue to make you proud in my new club and I will continue to follow very closely Marseille's result, and I hope they get the results they so richly deserve."
