Tottenham Hotspur
Premier League • England
Tottenham sent warning over Chelsea raid with Blues flop lacking key trait for Premier League success
A pundit has provided the main reason why Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech has struggled to have the desired impact in England, amid rumours of a Tottenham move for the winger.
Ziyech joined Chelsea from Ajax in summer 2020, with the Blues paying £36.6million to sign him on a five-year contract. Chelsea fans were expecting big things from Ziyech after he helped Ajax to reach the Champions League semi-finals in 2018/19, where they lost to Tottenham.
The Moroccan has shown glimpses of his incredible ability but has never done this on a regular basis for Chelsea. He has also had to spend a lot of time on the bench due to fierce competition for places in west London.
This season, Ziyech has made just five Premier League appearances, amounting to a total of 148 minutes. That is less than two full games.
Despite his struggles at club level, Ziyech has been brilliant for Morocco at the World Cup. He registered a goal and an assist to help them reach the last four of the competition.
The 29-year-old played a full 90 minutes in the semi-final against France as Morocco put in a great performance. However, they were punished for their lack of finishing and lost 2-0.
Ziyech’s classy displays on the world stage have got many pundits and fans questioning why he cannot do it for Chelsea. The same can be said for fellow winger Christian Pulisic, who looked sharp for the USA before their last-16 exit.
Ziyech’s performances will also be getting Spurs excited. They have expressed an interest in signing the wide man and even came close to agreeing personal terms with him in the summer.
And recently, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano revealed Ziyech to be looking for a different challenge in the new year.
Pundit provides analysis on Hakim Ziyech problem
Now, former Chelsea and Liverpool defender Glen Johnson has analysed Ziyech’s struggles at Stamford Bridge.
He reckons the Netherlands-born star is lacking the necessary aggression to make a big impact in England, something Spurs will be wary of if they attempt to sign him again.
“I’m a big fan of him and he’s obviously a super player, however, I believe that the Premier League may be a little bit too aggressive for him,” Johnson told gaming source GGRecon.
“Technically there’s no doubt about what he can do as he’s one of the best, but international football is closer to Champions League football than it is the Premier League.
“And what I mean by that is, is that you get more time on the ball and you’ve got more time to take the ball down and play.”
Chelsea man a different player for Morocco
Johnson’s analysis certainly makes sense. At the World Cup, Ziyech had the time to get the ball down and play. He caused opposition players plenty of problems with the help of Achraf Hakimi down the right flank.
At Chelsea though, Ziyech is often bullied off the ball. This prevents him from showing what he is about.
If Spurs can get him on the cheap, then he would be a good signing for them. They could attempt to beef him up a bit to ensure he is not shoved off the ball.
However, there is little chance Chelsea will let Ziyech move to Spurs for a low price. They are London rivals and top four competitors, after all.
Plus, Chelsea spent over £35m when bringing the attacker to England. So they will want to make a decent amount of this money back when moving him on.