Antonio Conte compares Michy Batshuayi to Simone Zaza

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 18 December 2016

Antonio Conte insists that it is 'not easy to adapt to English football', but believes striker Michy Batshuayi can soon settle into life at Chelsea.

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte has admitted that he has sympathy for Michy Batshuayi following his slow start to life at Stamford Bridge, comparing his outcast striker to West Ham United recruit Simone Zaza.

Both players have yet to make an impact in the Premier League since joining their respective clubs in the summer, being afforded five starts between them so far.

Zaza has been given more of a chance to impress, featuring for 461 minutes in all but failing to register a single goal, while Batshuayi is expected to be handed a rare outing at home to Bournemouth in place of the suspended Diego Costa on Boxing Day.

Conte is confident that the Belgian has plenty to offer Chelsea, telling reporters: "It's not easy to arrive and understand and adapt to his league.

"I can see another example, Zaza at West Ham. I know him very well, he played with me at the Euros, and he is a good player, but in England he is having a lot of difficulty.

"This football is very tough, very physical. Michy has good quality, he's very young, and it's important for him to continue to work and improve, and I think this season he can have a good satisfaction."

West Ham paid Juventus around £4.5m to sign Zaza on a season-long loan, but they are reportedly hoping to send him back to Turin in January following his failure to adapt to English football.