Chelsea Transfers

[BXL70 396]

It would be great if we sign that top class player !

[Pizy 17,862]

Sensational on the ball, absolute wand of a left foot, great work rate, extremely creative in the final third. Isn't a youngster who will need months or more to settle and has played in massive games in the CL. All for £40m.

This is a summer where we may see the likes of Maddison, Grealish, Chilwell etc go for at least twice that much. This is a steal.

Lets us go big on other areas, too, which we likely couldn't if we spent £120m on Sancho.

[Jase 43,479]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2020/02/12/chelsea-poisedto-sign-40m-winger-hakim-ziyech-ajax-summer/

Chelsea are set to hand head coach Frank Lampard a major boost by signing Hakim Ziyech for around £40 million from Ajax, despite the transfer window being shut.

As reported by Telegraph Sport on Tuesday, Chelsea had made Ziyech a priority signing after having an offer turned down by Ajax in January and director Marina Granovskaia has moved quickly to make sure he will join at the end of the season.

The agreement on a deal should be confirmed by both clubs this week, following productive talks, just under a fortnight since the January transfer window closed.

Ziyech was identified as one of Lampard’s major targets after the winger impressed during Ajax’s 4-4 Champions League draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in November.

Ajax were adamant he could not leave mid-season, but Chelsea wanted to complete a deal for him to move in the summer and eradicate the chance of a bidding war - in much the same way they agreed the transfer of Christian Pulisic last January and he remained in Germany until the end of last season.

Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United have both shown a strong interest in Ziyech, but Granovskaia managed to steal a march on Chelsea’s rivals.

Lampard expressed his frustration over Chelsea’s failure to sign any players in the January transfer window, despite the club succeeding in having their Fifa ban cut short.

But Chelsea and Lampard had been adamant that they did not want to repeat the mistakes of past transfer windows by panic buying players after failing to land their top targets.

The decision to wait for Ziyech, and turn down knee-jerk options such as Salomon Rondon at the end of the January window, represents the positive shift Chelsea have made in that regard and also ensures Lampard will have a full pre-season with the player.

Lampard has spoken of wanting to add experience to his young squad and Ziyech, who turns 27 next month, will provide that.

Ziyech will also give Lampard options as he has mainly played off the right wing for Ajax with the freedom to roam, but can also operate as a number 10 behind the striker and has earned comparisons with a former Ajax player, Christian Eriksen, in Holland.

Former Tottenham and Ajax manager Martin Jol said: “Ziyech is a really good player. He’s a bit like Eriksen in that he drifts and roams all over the place. He’s not physical, but he can influence games.”

Chelsea believe that £40m in today’s market represents excellent value for Ziyech, who has played 32 times for Morocco and has made over 100 appearances for Ajax.

Crystal Palace value Wilfried Zaha at £80m, while Borussia Dortmund expect to sell Jadon Sancho for around £120m in the summer.

It is unclear whether or not the signing of Ziyech will end Chelsea’s interest in Sancho, who is wanted by Manchester United. But it will certainly allow Lampard and Granovskaia to make progress on other targets ahead of what promises to be a summer of change.

Lampard will still have well over £100m, plus any money the club makes on sales, to spend on new players.

Other than Ziyech, Lampard wants to add another striker to his squad and has made left-back Ben Chilwell one of his major targets. The club will also look at their goalkeeping situation.

Olivier Giroud and Pedro Rodriguez will leave in the summer, while Willian is also yet to agree a new contract past the end of the season and left-back Marcos Alonso is keen to return to Spain.

Kepa Arrizabalaga’s future has been thrown into doubt by Lampard’s decision to drop him for the draw at Leicester City, although Chelsea would have to recoup over £50m to break even on the goalkeeper they spent £72m on and handed a seven-year contract two years ago.

Chelsea decided against a move to re-sign Nathan Ake in January, but could still consider trying to take him back to Stamford Bridge during the summer even though that would most likely mean allowing a centre-back to leave.

While the Ziyech deal will not directly impact Chelsea’s attempts to seal a top four place and Champions League qualification this season, it will provide Lampard and his staff with a timely lift.

Ahead of Monday night’s important game against Manchester United, Lampard’s mood will be much better than before the last match at Leicester City.

Speaking on transfer deadline day, Lampard pointed to the fact that all of Chelsea’s rivals in the race for Champions League qualification had made signings.

Lampard also claimed his team had become “underdogs” in battle for a top-four place, despite then holding a six-point cushion in fourth. That advantage has since been cut to two points by Sheffield United who have played a game more.

The arrival of Ziyech is not believed to be reliant on whether or not Chelsea secure Champions League football, but doing so would help the club to land more of Lampard’s major targets.

[Miguelito 459]

If I'm not mistaken, Ziyech is Moroccan, which means he will leave for the AFCON every 2 years (as long as Morocco get in each time). Does anyone know how good Morocco are/if they qualify each competition?

It will be a bummer to lose a potentially starting player for 6 weeks every other season. Now obviously if the player is good enough (like mane for example), you suck it up. But still one negative in the whole situation.

I like the signing though.

 

[Milan 17,835]

The AFCON is a good point. It will start right after the New Year so if we are to sign him, we will lose him for a month or so. Last time his country got eliminated in the Round of 16.

[Atomiswave 6,072]

Nahh he is quality imo, maybe not world class but he could become WC with us. Put him in CAM instead of Barkely, go get Sancho and we are set on that front. We cant lose Sancho to any Eng Club.  

[DDA 9,570]

Ziyech!!! I'm fucking buzzing.

[Fernando 6,388]

Top signing. 

Glad we are working early. 

Hopefully it's not this one and then we fall away later. But continue to do all transfer as early possible so we can get them for the pre season. 

[Nero 1,794]

 

[turgi 71]

How "official" is this Ziyech thing?

[NikkiCFC 7,624]

3 hours ago, Miguelito said:

If I'm not mistaken, Ziyech is Moroccan, which means he will leave for the AFCON every 2 years (as long as Morocco get in each time). Does anyone know how good Morocco are/if they qualify each competition?

Not only him, Boga as well if we sign him. 

[petre.ispirescu 4,928]

Next move should definitely be Timo Werner, that 50M release clause is peanuts for a player of that much quality already. Imagine Ziyech + Werner for 88M only, insane business. 

I truly believe Werner will have (for the clubs he will sign for) the same impact as Benzema and Aguero have had and still have for their clubs. Hopefully we're smart and ruthless and tap him already. 

[Strike 6,989]

Buzzing. 38m is a GREAT price in this market and its smart to get this done early rather than wait and put all the eggs in the Sancho basket. 

[Jase 43,479]

10 minutes ago, petre.ispirescu said:

Next move should definitely be Timo Werner, that 50M release clause is peanuts for a player of that much quality already. Imagine Ziyech + Werner for 88M only, insane business. 

I truly believe Werner will have (for the clubs he will sign for) the same impact as Benzema and Aguero have had and still have for their clubs. Hopefully we're smart and ruthless and tap him already. 

I feel like Werner will end up at Liverpool.  We may have a chance if we finish in the Top 4 but I'm not sure that's gonna matter at all. The Liverpool-Werner rumors appear to be picking up steam recently and Werner said last year that he fancies playing for Liverpool. We might well end up signing Dembele etc instead. 

[NikkiCFC 7,624]

5 hours ago, Superblue_1986 said:

I'd be surprised when we have Mount, RLC and Barkley in that position. Lampard particularly likes the first two.

He's played predominantly RW for Ajax so I would assume that is where he is being brought for us.

Ziyech this season for Ajax:

RW 17 games 6 goals 8 assists 

AM 10 games 2 goals 12 assists 

So he is very effective as AM just like Pulisic. Since Lamps prefers to play 4-2-3-1 he will definitely start next season. Ideally Pulisic-Ziyech-Sancho. Plus those three can play all three positions so they can switch positions all the time which is going to be awesome! CHO and Mount on the bench maybe even Boga. Sell Barkley. Pedro and Willian are already gone. So I think signing Ziyech won't effect Sancho. 

[Jase 43,479]

Just now, NikkiCFC said:

Ziyech this season for Ajax:

RW 17 games 6 goals 8 assists 

AM 10 games 2 goals 12 assists 

So he is very effective as AM just like Pulisic. Since Lamps prefers to play 4-2-3-1 he will definitely start next season. Ideally Pulisic-Ziyech-Sancho. Plus those three can play all three positions so they can switch positions all the time which is going to be awesome! CHO and Mount on the bench maybe even Boga. Sell Barkley. Pedro and Willian are already gone. So I think signing Ziyech won't effect Sancho. 

The meltdown is gonna be funny if Willian does sign the contract extension.  

[Pizy 17,862]

Ajax seem like a unique club that doesn't seem to mind their players negotiating during the middle of the season. I'm not sure we'll see anything else bubble into the public eye like this did. 

[Nicco 927]

2 hours ago, Atomiswave said:

Nahh he is quality imo, maybe not world class but he could become WC with us. Put him in CAM instead of Barkely, go get Sancho and we are set on that front. We cant lose Sancho to any Eng Club.  

We just lost him, with Ziyech signing people actually thinking Lampard's nephew will be benched.