Belgium’s Batshuayi kept silent ahead of Chelsea move

Belgium striker Michy Batshuayi was prevented from speaking to reporters on Wednesday by his club Marseille amid speculation he is about to sign for Chelsea, the Belgian Football Association said.

“At Marseille’s request, we have decided that Michy Batshuayi will not speak to the media today,” they said at Belgium’s Euro 2016 base in Bordeaux.

Batshuayi had initially been set to talk to the press ahead of Belgium’s Euro 2016 quarter-final against Wales in Lille on Friday.

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But his current club Marseille clearly decided that he should not answer any questions before the completion of a proposed 40 million-euro (£32.9m, $44.4m) switch to Premier League side Chelsea.

Batshuayi, 22, was due to undergo a medical in Bordeaux on Wednesday, in agreement with Belgium coach Marc Wilmots, ahead of a transfer to London.

A 6.5 million-euro signing from Standard Liege in 2014, he scored 17 goals in Ligue 1 last season for Marseille and netted 23 times in all competitions.

Batshuayi also came off the bench to score Belgium’s second goal in their 4-0 win over Hungary in the last 16 of Euro 2016 on Sunday. He has now scored three times in six appearances for his country.