Chelsea have been one of the most active sides in the transfer window in recent times as they look to revamp their squad ahead of the next season. They recently off-shored defender Kalidou Koulbably to Al Hilal and goalkeeper Edouard Mendy to Al-Ahli.
They are also expected to complete winger Hakim Ziyech’s move to Saudi Arabia but the Moroccan’s transfer seems to be lagging due to some medical reasons.
Earlier this month, Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano had revealed that Ziyech shall join Cristiano Ronaldo at the Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr this summer. Romano also claimed that the winger shall undergo a medical examination with the Saudi Arabian club. “Understand Hakim Ziyech will undergo medical tests with Al-Nassr on Thursday as it has just been scheduled. All contracts are finally signed between player, Al-Nassr and Chelsea,” Romano had tweeted.
But according to latest developments, Ziyech’s transfer to Al Nassr seems to have fallen through.
Al-Nassr and Chelsea FC had previously reached an agreement for Hakim Ziyech’s transfer which would see the Moroccan international join Cristiano Ronaldo in the Saudi league for a reported fee of £17 million. But several media reports from France have claimed that the player’s transfer may not be completed due to a medical issue.
It has been understood that Al-Nassr found a knee problem during Ziyech’s medical. It is a similar issue that had previously occurred during Ziyech’s proposed move to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the winter window.
Ziyech was signed by Chelsea in July 2020. The 30-year-old Moroccan international had signed a five-year deal with the Blues. Ziyech enjoyed some fabulous seasons at Ajax prior to his signing for Chelsea. He made 165 appearances for the Dutch club, scoring 49 goals.
Ziyech managed to win the prestigious Champions League with Chelsea in 2021. He also went on to win the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup with the Stamford Bridge-based outfit. Despite winning multiple trophies in a Chelsea jersey, he could not replicate his Ajax numbers at the English club.
Ziyech scored on 14 occasions for Chelsea while making 107 appearances for the London-based club. In international football, Ziyech has netted 18 goals till now having made 41 appearances for Morocco.