Chelsea are willing to let Hakim Ziyech leave this summer, but the Moroccan has a decision to make to secure his move to AC Milan, according to reports.
The 29-year-old has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge this transfer window and he looks to be edging closer to the exit door.
Signing for the Blues in 2020, Ziyech has had a difficult time at Chelsea and has not managed to live up to what was expected of him.
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The tricky winger put in some dazzling displays but ultimately, has been plagued by injuries and was unable to lock down a consistent spot in the side.
He appeared a total of 44 times last season under Thomas Tuchel, scoring eight times and accumulating six assists in all competitions.
Scoring in the Super Cup final against Villarreal and converting a wonderful whipped effort into the top corner against Tottenham Hotspur, he certainly had some special moments in a Chelsea shirt.
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With the recent signing of Raheem Sterling from Manchester City though, Ziyech has dropped further down the pecking order.
He is now reported to not be in Tuchel’s plans for the upcoming 2022/23 season.
He has fallen out of favour and there has been heavy interest shown by AC Milan who have recently made new contact with the player.
Should he complete a move, he could link up with former Chelsea teammates Olivier Giroud and Fikayo Tomori at the San Siro.
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Recent reports have suggested that the Blues could accept as little as £8.4 million for him this summer with it claimed that one of the reasons behind this is Tuchel’s belief that he is not disciplined enough tactically.
This has led to the player pushing for a move to join the Italian champions, who consider the Moroccan as their key target this window.
In order for him to complete a move though, the Daily Mail reports that Ziyech will have to take a significant pay cut on his current £5 million-a-year salary at Chelsea.
While this might cause an issue, Milan very much want the winger to sign this summer, as they look to strengthen and build on an extremely successful previous season.
Although AC Milan have some concerns, they are not put off and pressing on with their pursuit of Ziyech this summer.
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Overall, Ziyech can look back on his time at Chelsea positively, he helped lift the Champions League, Super Cup and Club World Cup in his short stint with the Blues.
Chelsea now need to be searching for replacements to bolster their attack, which is looking awfully light, especially considering Ziyech’s teammate Timo Werner could also be on the way out this summer.
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: Hakim Ziyech, Chelsea, Football, AC Milan, Chelsea Transfer News & Rumours, Transfers