Michy Batshuayi has revealed that Valencia manager Marcelino and the Spanish club's 'competitiveness' were the two main reasons why he decided to join Los Che in the summer transfer window.
Batshuayi moved to the Mestalla on a season-long loan from Chelsea last week, and it is understood that the Belgium international turned down the likes of Sevilla to join the former Spanish champions.
The 24-year-old scored nine times during a spell on loan at Borussia Dortmund in the second half of the 2017-18 campaign, and is now targeting a strong season with Valencia, who finished fourth in La Liga last term.
"It's true that I had other options, but I talked to the coach and he convinced me to come to Valencia," Batshuayi told reporters.
"Mestalla is magnificent. Valencia have fantastic fans and their players are very good, with a lot of quality. For me, it'll be great to share a team with Rodrigo [Moreno].
"Valencia and I are very ambitious and I want to win trophies with this club. Before talking about how many goals I'll score, I want to give a good impression. I want to grow and so do the team. I can adapt to Marcelino's style very well, and we can do something great all together.
"What convinced me to join Valencia was how competitive they were. They fight the big clubs and play in the Champions League. However, what convinced me was the conversation I had with Marcelino. I'm human and that was key."
Valencia will open their 2018-19 La Liga campaign at home to Atletico Madrid on August 20.
Matt Law
