Hakim Ziyech learns final fate after PSG appeal over botched Chelsea transfer earns official response

Samuel Bannister 01 Feb 2023 11:35 AM

The French footballing authorities have responded to Paris Saint-Germain’s attempts to register the signing of Hakim Ziyech from Chelsea.

Ziyech has fallen out of favour at Chelsea, who have invested heavily in players to occupy similar positions. Therefore, with his stock high again following an impressive World Cup with Morocco, the attacking midfielder was linked with an exit throughout January.

A number of options could have been available to Ziyech, but the most concrete approach ultimately came from PSG.

On Monday, it emerged that the French champions were in discussions with Chelsea about taking Ziyech. The talks quickly reached an advanced stage over a loan deal for the rest of the season.

Hence, on Tuesday, Ziyech was in Paris, completing his medicals. Yet by the end of the transfer window, he has not become a PSG player.

The Ligue 1 giants signed off all the necessary documentation from their end. Incredibly, though, Chelsea failed to submit their side of the paperwork before the deadline, repeatedly sending the wrong document.

Therefore, Ziyech has been stuck in Paris, unable to officially become a new member of Christophe Galtier’s squad.

PSG promptly appealed to the LFP, the French governing body for football. However, they did so with admittedly low confidence.

And now, RMC Sport has relayed that the LFP has refused the appeal. Ziyech, consequently, remains a Chelsea player and there is nothing he can do to change that right now.

Telefoot has also been reporting that PSG’s appeal has failed, forcing Ziyech to return to Chelsea.

Hakim Ziyech to struggle for Chelsea chances

There, he will find extra competition to what he started the month with, after the additions of Mykahylo Mudryk, Joao Felix and Noni Madueke, among many others.

Ziyech is contracted to Chelsea until 2025. The prospect of him leaving in the summer could come back into focus, since he hasn’t fully met expectations in west London.

Indeed, after arriving from Ajax in 2020 with a big reputation, he has gone on to score only 14 goals from 98 games.

Moving him on now could have been the ideal time to recoup a good fee after his return to form in Qatar. A positive loan spell with PSG could have led to a more positive perception of his worth.

Now, Chelsea have a player who is unlikely to add too much to his 15 appearances this season and will therefore become less valuable by their next window of opportunity to sell him, in theory.

PSG will be hoping they can cope without him after thinking they would have him as a new recruit for the second half of the season. It remains to be seen if they will be the main bidders for him in the summer.

Chelsea PSG Hakim Ziyech