Hakim Ziyech ready to seek Chelsea exit over lack of playing time
By Max Cooper
Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech is ready to leave Stamford Bridge in the summer if he continues to play a peripheral role under Thomas Tuchel, a new report has claimed.
The 27-year-old joined the Blues in the summer of 2020, but injuries have hampered his ability to nail down a regular starting berth. Ziyech has made just 11 Premier League appearances to date, and has not featured in the top flight since he started Tuchel's first game in charge - the 0-0 draw with Wolves.
Now, Corriere dello Sport claim that Ziyech is ready to end his disappointing spell in the Premier League, with teams in Italy lining up to make a move for him in the summer. AS Roma and Milan have both shown interest in the former Ajax star in the past, and could take advantage of his unsettled status to try and get a deal done.
For Ziyech, a departure would end what's been a fairly miserable time in England so far, where his repeated injuries and inability to fit into certain tactical setups have seen him slide down the pecking order at Chelsea.
Initially a favourite under Lampard once he'd overcome injury, Ziyech soon slipped out of the side and onto the bench as the Blues strived for consistency. He rarely completed the full 90 minutes even when he did start, and although Tuchel's arrival was the chance for a fresh opportunity, early indications are that he is not an integral part of the German's plans.
The Moroccan has played just 82 minutes of a possible 360 Premier League minutes under the former PSG boss, which is a far cry from his dominating spell at Ajax - one that yielded a Dutch Footballer of the Year award, four successive nominations for the Eredivisie Team of the Season and four seasons finishing as the player with most assists.
Ziyech was also a regular goal getter in the Netherlands, bagging 49 goals for Ajax in 165 appearances. For Chelsea, he's scored just twice in all competitions, and only once in thePremier League.
Chelsea's mini-revival has coincided with Ziyech's absence from the team, which may indicate that he'll have little to no chance of earning a regular place in the team unless things dramatically change in west London.