Hakim Ziyech has caused a stir online after posting a video of a goal he scored three years ago for former team Ajax against his current club Chelsea.
The Moroccan bagged the third in an eight goal thriller at Stamford Bridge in a Champions League group stage clash in 2019 when his curling free-kick found the far corner of the net. The game ended 4-4.
Many of Ziyech’s current Chelsea teammates were playing that day, including Jorginho, Mason Mount, Mateo Kovačić, Kepa Arrizabalaga, and club captain César Azpilicueta.
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The video, which was posted on Ziyech’s Instagram story, adds further fuel to rumours of a fraught relationship between the 29-year-old winger and his employers, who were reportedly willing to let him go during the summer transfer window.
Chelsea’s number 22, who joined in 2020, has found first-team opportunities limited this term, having amassed just 185 minutes of football in all competitions for the Blues this season, with just 25 of those coming under new boss Graham Potter.
And several high-profile names in world football, including Dutch legends Marco Van Basten and Rafael van der Vaart, have urged Ziyech to leave Chelsea in a bid to reignite his career.
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“Someone like Ziyech might have been playing at a different club all the time and the fans could enjoy watching him,” Van Basten said.
“It is sad and a shame that someone of his calibre is playing so rarely. Ziyech is a great player. We want to watch him.”
“Hakim Ziyech has to join Tottenham,” added former Spurs favourite van der Vaart.
“If Tottenham get Hakim Ziyech, they could win the Premier League. I am serious.”
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In response to the video, many fans agree that Ziyech’s time at Chelsea is nearing its end.
One fan wrote: “He needs to go, really. It's clear it will never work for him.”
While another posted: “He wants to leave Chelsea... his interest is no longer in the team.”
A third simply put: “That boy a clown.”
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Some, however, see very little wrong with Ziyech’s actions.
“Maybe if he was given more minutes and something to post about then he wouldn’t, sick goal tbf,” one wrote.
“It really isn't that deep, leave him be,” another added.
Regardless, it has been a difficult time for the playmaker who, up until very recently, had also found himself out of favour with the Morocco national team.
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A row with former head coach Vahid Halilhodzic led to him not receiving a call up for over 12 months, as well as being snubbed for Morocco’s AFCON squad earlier this year.
Halilhodzic has since been replaced by former international Walid Regragui, who recalled Ziyech to the team for friendlies with Chile and Paraguay at the end of September, indicating he could also be in contention for Morocco’s World Cup squad in Qatar later this month.
The North African outfit kick off their campaign on 23 November against the 2018 runners up Croatia, before games against Belgium and Canada.
It will be only the sixth time Morocco have qualified for the World Cup finals, with their best ever finish coming in 1986 when they reached the Round of 16.
Topics: Hakim Ziyech, Chelsea, Graham Potter, Ajax, Premier League
George Nash