Chelsea confirm Hakim Ziyech transfer as key details emerge
Chelsea have agreed a deal for the £33.3million summer signing of Hakim Ziyech from Ajax, with the assist machine likely to offered a four-year contract when he joins the club on July 1.
The Blues must now confirm personal terms with the Morocco winger, who will join Chelsea in time for the start of pre-season training ahead of their preparations for the 2020/21 campaign.
Despite having their transfer ban reduced, Chelsea failed to bring in a new signing in January, but had been negotiating behind the scenes for Ziyech.
He’s expected to agree terms on a deal worth around £100,000 a week – double the salary he was earning with the Dutch giants.
Both Chelsea and Ajax confirmed the deal, with Frank Lampard securing his first signing as Stamford Bridge boss.
Ziyech was one of Lampard’s top targets however, and the Blues have moved quickly to lock down a deal for the 26-year-old, that should represent excellent value considering market constraints.
We have some Hakim Ziyech news… 👀
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 13, 2020
“Chelsea Football Club has reached an agreement with Ajax to sign Hakim Ziyech this summer,” read a Chelsea statement.
“The move is subject to the player agreeing personal terms and he will remain at the Dutch club for the rest of this season.”
Ziyech has laid on more than 20 goals in each of the last three seasons, already teeing up 21 at Ajax this term.
The west London club saw their FIFA transfer ban lifted on appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), but were unable to capitalise by making any mid-season recruits.
“Ajax and Chelsea have reached an agreement for the transfer of Hakim Ziyech,” Ajax confirmed in a statement.
“The player will join the Premier League club on July 1st 2020 and will finish the season in Amsterdam. The clubs have agreed a deal of €40million.
“This sum could potentially increase to a maximum of €44million, with variable factors.
“The contract of the Moroccan player lasts until the 30th of June 2022. Ziyech was born on March 19, 1993 in Dronten. He made his debut for Ajax on 11 September 2016 in the match against Vitesse (1-0). The Moroccan international has played 160 official matches in the first team of Ajax and scored 49 goals.
“With Ajax he won the Johan Cruyff Shield this season. Last year he became champion of the Netherlands with Ajax and he also won the KNVB Cup. In 2018, Ziyech was named Dutch footballer of the year.”
Wolves defender welcome Ziyech capture
Ziyech has emerged as one of the Dutch giants’ key stars during his four years at the club, and helped them reach the Champions League semi-finals last season.
And following news that an agreement to join Chelsea had been reached, Wolves star Romain Saiss believes the Premier League is about to welcome a major talent.
He told Sport360: ‘I speak sometimes with him about his future because he deserves to play at a good club, a top league and I hope for him that soon he is going to move.
“Even if Ajax is a good club I think he can play higher and for an even bigger club.
“The fans like a player like Hakim, skilful, exciting, and I’m surprised nobody has come for him [before].
“It would be a good thing for him to play in the Premier League. It’s a good league for him.
“He did very well in the Champions League for a couple of years and I’m not surprised because he’s a good player. ‘I think he can play for most of the big teams.
“It was the same for Riyad [Mahrez] when he was at Leicester. He needed time before he moved to [Manchester] City and I think it will be the same for Hakim.”
Ziyech can play as an attacking midfielder, but has predominantly featured as a right winger over recent seasons – contributing eight goals and 16 assists in less than 30 appearances in this season alone.
The 26-year-old, who was born in the Netherlands, also has 32 international caps for Morocco, for whom he has scored 14 goals.
