Borussia Dortmund confirm Michy Batshuayi loan deal

Borussia Dortmund have announced the arrival of Michy Batshuayi on loan from Chelsea for the remainder of the 2017-18 campaign.

The 24-year-old joins the Bundesliga side as a direct replacement for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who completed a £55m switch to Arsenal earlier on deadline day.

As part of the striker merry-go-round, Olivier Giroud has also finalised a permanent move from Arsenal to Chelsea on an 18-month deal.

Batshuayi has never truly won over boss Antonio Conte since making a move to Stamford Bridge ahead of the 2016-17 campaign, which culminated in the Belgian striker netting the title-clinching goal away at West Bromwich Albion.

Conte played down talk this week of the ex-Marseille man being allowed out on loan, as Chelsea are light of options up top for their home match against Bournemouth on Wednesday evening, even with the addition of the ineligible Giroud.

Dortmund have managed to persuade the Premier League champions to offload, however, with reports in the British press suggesting that Arsenal had a big part to play in the deal.

According to the London Evening Standard, the Gunners paid Batshuayi's loan fee so that Aubameyang could get the green light to finalise his club-record move to North London.

The loan agreement for Batshuayi was announced less than 15 minutes before the German transfer window closed for business.