Once hailed as “The Wizard” by adoring Ajax fans, Chelsea made a significant investment back in 2020 to secure the services of Hakim Ziyech, although it now seems he is considered surplus to requirements for manager Thomas Tuchel. As the player seeks to reboot his career elsewhere, numerous rumours have emerged about potential destinations.
Amongst the leading candidates right now are the reigning Serie A champions AC Milan, although there is also said to be some considerable interest amongst Premier League clubs, most notably at Leeds United.
Another club that has been linked is Manchester United, albeit mostly because they are currently led by former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag, who coached great performances from Ziyech at the Dutch club prior to his arrival at Chelsea.
As is often the case, one transfer deal can frequently cause a domino effect in the market, which certainly makes things all the more interesting for those who bet on potential player transfers. Some might even base their wagering on prediction models like Poisson Distribution, which is quite a complex system covered by SBO recently, as part of their series of detailed guides looking at different betting systems used by punters.
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Were we to back a move anywhere this summer for Ziyech, chances are that Leeds United would seem the club most likely to turn their enquiries into a firm offer. While the player might prefer to join a club that is competing in European competitions, the current options would appear to be somewhat limited. The keenest initial interest previously reported was from AC Milan, although that was only seen as a backup option for another of their targets.
Milan have been mired in lengthy negotiations to sign Belgian sensation Charles De Ketelaere, yet negotiations have turned into something of a saga. Leeds United made a formal offer worth £33.9 million towards the end of June, matching the valuation set by Club Brugge, although the player immediately indicated his preference to join the Italians. They have eventually stumped up a bid which the Jupiler Pro League club is willing to accept.
Given that De Ketelaere is now definitively out of reach for Leeds United, it seems they have again turned their interest towards other targets under consideration, due to their sporting director Victor Orta having already identified Ziyech as a potential signing.
The big plus for the Elland Road club is that Chelsea don’t want a massive fee, apparently content to let Ziyech go for around £8million or thereabouts. Leeds United would have every confidence they can tempt the player to join their cause, principally by guaranteeing Ziyech a starring role in the team led by American coach Jesse Marsch, who has already reinforced well during the summer.
The Yorkshire club has already made six important signings, funded by the cash received for Kalvin Phillips joining Manchester City, and the deal which too Raphinha to Barcelona.
Furthermore, given that Ziyech is able to operate wide on the right, he could also be regarded as the natural successor to fill the void left by Raphinha, as Leeds United have yet to find a suitable replacement for the role in which the Brazilian excelled. While selling the Moroccan so cheaply doesn’t seem to make much sense, the limited interest has possibly forced the hand of Chelsea, who would rather get him off their wage bill as quickly as they can.
This leads us back towards the prospect of a switch to Premier League rivals Manchester United, who Ziyech had already rejected back in 2020, preferring a move to London and Chelsea instead. His form at Ajax under Erik ten Hag was truly a joy to behold, which means the new Red Devils boss might be interested in rekindling that relationship. After the Dutchman signed Ziyech, he consistently performed brilliantly in the Eredivisie.
While there may be no immediate departure on the cards for Ziyech, moving on before the summer transfer window closes is practically a given, due to his team status having reduced significantly under Tuchel. The only question pending is where he will end up, with a move ‘up north’ the only valid escape rout from Stamford Bridge at the moment, either to join Leeds United or Manchester United.
