Batshuayi to join Chelsea, L'Equipe reports

Football Soccer - Olympique Marseille v St. Etienne - French Ligue 1 - Velodrome stadium, Marseille, France 21/02/2016Olympique Marseille's Michy Batshuayi reacts after scoring against St. Etienne REUTERS/Jean-Paul Pelissier/FIles

PARIS (Reuters) - Belgium striker Michy Batshuayi is set to join Chelsea from Ligue 1 club Olympique Marseille, French sports daily L'Equipe reported on Wednesday.

The 22-year-old Batshuayi is expected to sign a five-year contract for the Premier League side for a transfer fee of some 40 million euros ($44.30 million), the newspaper said without citing sources.

Marseille had reached a deal with another Premier League club, Crystal Palace, earlier this week but Batshuayi turned down the offer, L'Equipe wrote.

Batshuayi had to pass a medical in Bordeaux, France, where Belgium are based for the European Championship finals, and Chelsea could announce the deal later on Wednesday, according to the French newspaper.

Batshuayi who joined Marseille from Belgian side Standard Liege in 2014, scored 23 goals in all competitions this season.

Belgium face Wales on Friday in Lille for a place in the semi-finals of Euro 2016.

($1 = 0.9030 euros)

(Writing by Patrick Vignal; Editing by Clare Fallon)