Chelsea’s talented midfielder, Hakim Ziyech, might not be making a move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr after all, according to reports. In recent weeks, Ziyech, along with several other players from Chelsea, has been linked to a potential transfer to one of the Saudi Pro League teams that have been acquired by the Public Investment Fund (PIF).
While Edouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly, and N’Golo Kante have already joined Al-Ahli, Al-Hilal, and Al-Ittihad respectively, Ziyech was expected to finalize his move to Al-Nassr, a club that boasts Cristiano Ronaldo in its ranks.
Initially, it seemed like the deal was close to completion, pending a medical examination, after the clubs agreed on a transfer fee. However, journalist Santi Aouna revealed that Al-Nassr’s staff discovered a knee issue with Ziyech, raising concerns about the player’s fitness. This development led to speculation that Al-Nassr might reconsider their interest in signing the Moroccan international, who had an impressive performance in the 2022 World Cup.
Adding to the uncertainty, CBS Sports reporter Ben Jacobs highlighted another potential problem with Ziyech’s hip, casting further doubt on the completion of the transfer. Allegedly, Al-Nassr will subject Ziyech to additional tests to determine if they still wish to proceed with the deal, which would be a significant move for all parties involved.
For the Saudi Pro League, acquiring Ziyech’s services would be seen as a major achievement, as they continue their quest to attract high-profile players to their clubs. Meanwhile, Chelsea, represented by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, saw this opportunity as a chance to generate around £8 million, which would help improve their Financial Fair Play (FFP) position before the end of the accounting period on June 30, 2023.
Ziyech himself is eager to embrace a new challenge after falling out of favor at Stamford Bridge. He had previously missed out on a move to Paris Saint-Germain in January, reportedly due to administrative errors made by Chelsea officials. However, it appears that Ziyech’s desired transfer away from Chelsea may face further obstacles, leaving him in a state of uncertainty.
According to Transfermarkt, Ziyech has only experienced a knee issue shortly after joining Chelsea in 2020. Since then, he has made 107 appearances for the club over three years and represented Morocco in 18 matches between 2021 and 2023.