Chelsea buy ‘officially’ for sale after ‘broken’ Tuchel claim spells early end
A Frank Lampard purchase could be leaving Stamford Bridge after just one year after Chelsea officially put him up for sale, per a report.
Chelsea forked out around £250m on new signings under club legend Lampard last year. While the majority of their immediate impacts were minimal, many of the players would go on to play a crucial role in the club’s Champions League success.
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One player who remained a relative non-factor, however, was Hakim Ziyech.
The Moroccan was expected to bring creativity in abundance following a glittering four-year stint with Ajax.
The Blues’ change of manager did Ziyech few favours, however, with Tuchel relegating the forward down the congested pecking order.
Now, the Sun (citing Italian publication Gazetta dello Sport), have claimed that Ziyech will not be given a chance to prove himself next year.
They state that the playmaker has been “officially placed” on the transfer list for the upcoming summer window.
Explaining the drastic move, the article notes his relationship with Tuchel is ‘broken’. Given Tuchel’s transformative impact at the club, Chelsea have opted to side with Tuchel and will reportedly move Ziyech on.
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Interest from Italy in the 28-year-old had been well reported over the past few days.
AC Milan and Napoli were namechecked as interested parties, while Inter’s name has never been far from the conversation. However, interest from Spain has now quickly emerged with a likely bidding war on the horizon.
A second Sun piece citing El Gol Digital reveal Atletico Madrid are also ‘keeping tabs’ on Ziyech.
Chelsea sacrifice sees PSG leapfrogged
Meanwhile, Chelsea have made a bid for Inter Milan wing-back Achraf Hakimi and are willing to send two players the other way, according to a report.
The Moroccan has flourished in Serie A, providing seven goals and eight assists in his debut campaign there. His marauding presence down the right flank was a major element of Inter’s title success.
But now their finances are not in a good shape and they may have to sacrifice some players. After the season he had, Hakimi is one of the most marketable that they can receive a high price for.
Chelsea are reportedly rivalling Paris Saint-Germain for Hakimi’s signature, and Italian football expert Gianluca Di Marzio claims the Blues have matched the French giants’ bid of €60m.
The Premier League outfit have two aces up their sleeve, though, as they are willing to send two players in the opposite direction.
READ MORE: Napoli bid for Chelsea outcast gives Tuchel double transfer dilemma