Dortmund Star Sokratis Hails Michy Batshuayi's Determination Following January Arrival

Borussia Dortmund centre back Sokratis Papastathopoulos has opened up on the arrival of Chelsea loanee Michy Batshuayi, admitting that the Belgian starlet has given the club a boost since his deadline day move.

To say it's been a tricky year and a half for Batshuayi would be a slight understatement. His high profile move to Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2016 saw his debut campaign in the Premier League offer very little game time under Antonio Conte.

After Alvaro Morata's £70m switch to Chelsea in the summer was confirmed - Batshuayi's chances were once again doomed. With Olivier Giroud also joining in January, Batshuayi was finally offered a new opportunity at Dortmund.

And with his arrival has come goals in the Bundesliga, having netted three in his opening two games in Germany. And now, new teammate Sokratis has praised the 24-year-old - the defender discussing how impressed he's been with Batshuayi replacing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang:

“With Pierre (Aubameyang), we had a good rapport." Sokratis told Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness).

Oliver Hardt/GettyImages

(You may also be interested in: Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke Set to Extend Contract Until 2021)

"We’ll always be friends, but it was his destiny to leave. I must say that Michy has presented himself really well. And not only with his flips (when he scores): he knows how to score and his desire to make the World Cup with Belgium can give us a nice boost”.

Batshuayi introduced himself to Dortmund fans with a brace and assist in his debut for the club; playing a hand in all three of his side's goals in their 3-2 victory of Cologne. 

His home debut against Hamburg saw the striker net another, as Dortmund ran home 2-0 victors in Batshuayi's first match at Signal Iduna Park