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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
Mark Walker

Rangers target Batshuayi warned he must complete transfer for Belgium Euros spot

Rangers target Michy Batshuayi has been warned he must get a transfer this month or lose his place at Euro 2024 according to Belgian legend Franky Van der Elst.

Ibrox boss Philippe Clement has been linked with a shock move for the 30-year-old striker, who is out of favour in Turkey with Fenerbahce.

Batshuayi has an impressive international record with Belgium after 27 goals in 53 caps, but manager Domenico Tedesco initially dropped him when he took over as boss and although he recalled him, he's only used him for three matches from the bench with five other games where he was an unused sub.

With the Euros fast approaching, the Rangers target needs to get back playing regularly and scoring after netting just three league goals all season - all in the same game when he grabbed a hat trick against Kayserispor last month.

And 86-time capped van Der Elst - who played in four World Cups for Belgium - reckons Batshuayi, who once cost Chelsea £33.2 million, will struggle to get in the squad unless he is playing and scoring regularly.

He said: "I think Michy Batshuayi doesn't deserve to make the squad at the moment and he is behind other strikers now.

"I would never have said that a year ago.

"But he doesn't score and he's in a bad situation at Fenerbahce. He really needs a move quickly.

"Domenico Tedesco wants to play with pressure and aggressiveness and wants strikers who will drop deep to help out. Batshuayi has none of that.

"Romelu Lukaku is clearly going to be the main striker and Loïs Openda will be his understudy. He could even use Leandro Trossard there too. All are ahead at the moment.

"I believe that Openda will have more chances to play and score at the Euros and will get that chance because he is enjoying his time at his club RB Leipzig."

Batshuayi scored one of his 27 international goals in Scotland, in a 4-0 friendly win at Hampden in 2018.

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