Hakim Ziyech is the first expensive new face to be added to Chelsea’s squad in more than
a year, but everyone at the club is confident that the man Ajax dubbed “The Wizard of
Amsterdam” will prove well worth the wait. This was a deal long in the making and one
illustrative of Chelsea’s broader approach to transfers. The framework of an agreement
to bring Ziyech to Stamford Bridge was established with Ajax before Christmas, but the Dutch
club were unwilling to jeopardise their chances of winning the Eredivisie and Europa League
by selling their best player in January. So Chelsea bided their time, resisting external
pressure to pursue short-term fixes for Lampard’s squad in the winter market in favour of prioritising
their long-term targets. The transfer deadline came and went without any movement, talks
with Ajax resumed in early February and both clubs were swiftly in a position to announce
a deal worth an initial €40 million (about £33 million), potentially rising to €44
million. It is understood Chelsea have scouted Ziyech
extensively for three years, and might have made their move last summer were it not for
their FIFA-imposed transfer ban. Ziyech was available for €30 million at
the time — a release clause that was removed when he signed a new contract in August 2019,
which consisted of a pay rise rather than an extension. Other clubs were interested
in acquiring him at that price, but the only serious approach last summer came from Sevilla,
and Ziyech did not consider the move a significant step up from Ajax.
Many of Europe’s elite clubs also took a look, but none were totally convinced. Some
scouting reports and statistical analysis raised doubts about Ziyech’s occasional
tendency to take bad shots from long distance or give the ball away in bad areas. The number
of wayward passes that went hand-in-hand with every eye-catching assist divided opinion.
More generally, Ziyech’s lean physique led some to question whether he has the required
physicality to stand up to a more intense league. There were also concerns about his
spikier personality traits, in addition to all the usual fears about whether Eredivisie
production translates to a higher level. But the closer Chelsea looked at Ziyech, the
more they liked him – not just his game and the way it was felt his skill set would
complement what Lampard already had, but also his relationships with Ajax team-mates and
staff. They were impressed with his ability to adapt to different tactical systems — playing
as a No 8, a No 10 or winger— and absorb complex instructions from his coaches.
Ziyech’s consistently stellar performances in the Champions League over the past 18 months
also spoke in his favour. In 2018-19 he was integral to the progress of an Ajax side who
knocked out Real Madrid, Juventus, and very nearly Tottenham. And, this season, a virtuoso
display in Ajax’s 4-4 thriller with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in November — featuring
two assists and a free-kick that beat Kepa Arrizabalaga from an almost impossible angle
— backed up the longer-term assessment. There were a number of senior scouts from
elite European clubs at Stamford Bridge to watch that game, and one was moved to put
Ziyech in the “world-class” category of his club’s system as a result of what he
saw. The Moroccan’s combination of technical quality — identifying attacking possibilities
missed by everyone else on the pitch, then his ability to exploit them — and his relentless
work rate were dazzling. Chelsea’s efficiency in finalising this
transfer so far ahead of the summer has been greeted with surprise in Europe, where English
clubs are widely regarded as reactive and poor planners.
When the new Premier League season starts remains to be seen, but Ziyech will arrive
in England with dual status as Ajax’s talisman and the best player in the Eredivisie, much
like Luis Suarez and Christen Eriksen did before him.
He will be 27 by the time he plays his first match. He is older than many Eredivisie stars
who leave to test themselves on a grander stage, and also older than most of the players
targeted by Chelsea since 2012. A significant part of Marina Granovskaia’s job as chief
negotiator is to balance signings with sales, and younger targets offer greater resale value.
But at €44 million, Ziyech is more reasonably priced than many of the alternatives Chelsea
have looked at — not least Wilfried Zaha, who was saddled with an £80 million price
tag by Crystal Palace in January. Jadon Sancho would require an even greater outlay.
Wing reinforcements could be required beyond Ziyech this summer. Pedro will leave when
his contract expires in June, and Willian could well follow if no agreement is reached
over an extension to his deal. Chelsea have an option to buy Jeremie Boga back from Sassuolo,
and the academy graduate presents a cost-effective alternative to any Sancho deal.
Chelsea also have other needs to address in the summer transfer market: another striker
to compete with Tammy Abraham, an upgrade at left-back, a high-level centre-back if
one is available and even perhaps a goalkeeper to replace Kepa, should the Spain international
fail to show signs of recovering from his alarming slump in form between now and the
end of the season. But regardless of who follows him to Stamford
Bridge in the coming months, Chelsea’s plan is for Ziyech to be a key element of the team
Lampard is building. His age is regarded as a positive; proven quality provides balance
to a squad now centred around youth, much of it home-grown.
Confidence is high at Ajax that he will prove up to the task. “He can make the difference
with his vision and the way he plays,” former Netherlands international John Heitinga, who
now coaches the club’s U19 team, told The Athletic. “When he has got the ball, something
is happening. “He’s a nice guy, works hard and loves
the game. He’s a different player to when he came here from FC Twente because now he
is also doing things without the ball. In the beginning, it was just when he had the
ball. Now he is doing both.” Chelsea’s first signing of 2020 is an exciting
one. A player of rare gifts will soon be at Lampard’s disposal, and watching “The
Wizard of Amsterdam” attempt to weave his magic in west London next season is likely
to be compulsory viewing.