Chelsea
Premier League • England
Chelsea transfers: Pochettino forced into re-think as door closes on flop’s summer destination after double indiscretion
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Hakim Ziyech on bench during Chelsea game
Reports in the Dutch press claim Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech is now unlikely to re-join Ajax after his controversial trip to Russia.
The 30-year-old has been with the Blues for three seasons after Chelsea paid Ajax in the region of €40m for his signature. However, he has yet to hit the expected heights and may well be one of the players jettisoned after the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino. Chelsea have a bloated squad after 18 months of overspending on players and the Argentinian needs to trim his playing resources.
Ziyech made 15 starts among 23 Premier League appearances during his first season at the club.
He was given the nod on 14 occasions in 2021-2022 but was only handed six starts in the campaign just finished.
With just 653 minutes of league football in total, it seems as though he is now surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge.
The Morocco international has been strongly linked with return to Ajax. He enjoyed four successful seasons in Amsterdam, scoring 50 goals from 165 outings in all competitions.
And it appeared as though those at the Johan Cruyff Arena were ready to welcome him back.
But there has been a backlash in the Dutch press this week after he was photographed in Russia.
While not illegal to enter the country, their invasion of Ukraine has seen Russia labelled as a pariah state throughout most of the world.
Poor Ziyech decisions lead to transfer doubts
Ziyech was reportedly in Russia to attend a party in Moscow with former Ajax team-mate Quincy Promes.
And it his association with his former Ajax team-mate that has caused the most consternation.
The Spartak Moscow midfielder was recently charged with allegedly smuggling £65m worth of cocaine into the Netherlands.
And, according to journalist Mike Verweij, his partying with the former Netherlands star and actions with Spartak Moscow may prevent a return to Holland.
“You saw what happened at Spartak,” he said via FC Update. “He had to pose with a Spartak shirt with Ziyech on the back.
“That was a so-called joke, as if he’s making a transfer in that direction. He should not be used for that at all.
“I think that this kind of action makes it very difficult to get him back and I think that Ajax should not want that.”
The report adds that Ziyech ‘seems to have no future’ at Chelsea but is also unlikely to move to Ajax.
That leaves the Blues with work to do as he seems a player destined to move on.
He failed to score during 24 league outings last season and provided just three assists.
The issue now is finding a club willing to take on a player whose decision making is clearly questionable.
Tottenham were linked with the African back in April. But the arrival of Ange Postecoglou in north London means Spurs’ transfer plans will have altered significantly.