Last summer Ajax Amsterdam already lost three top performers with Matthijs de Ligt (19), Frenkie de Jong (22) and Kasper Dolberg (21) – now the next top-class retirement is on the cards. Because Hakim Ziyech (26) will switch to Chelsea FC for the new season. This was announced by the Blues on Thursday.
Earlier, coach Erik ten Hag (50) had already confirmed the transfer in general. “Ziyech to Chelsea? A transfer was pending, we expected it,” the coach told Fox Sports on Wednesday. “And I actually expected this transfer a year or two earlier. Every time I thought, “Wow, he stayed again. We’re just glad we’ll have him till the end of the season.”
After the Amsterdam run in the last Champions League season up to the semi-finals, many Ajax stars were on the cards of numerous European top clubs. But Ziyech stayed – at first. During his time with Ajax, the Moroccan international has scored 48 goals and 82 assists in 160 games since he came from Twente in 2016.
Chelsea and Ajax have agreed on a 40 million euro transfer fee for the right-winger, which can rise to 44 million euros through variables. Originally, Chelsea coach Frank Lampard (41) Ziyech, who in the meantime has also been traded as a candidate for FC Bayern, apparently wanted to get Ziyech in Winter, but failed due to the Dutch veto.