Chelsea signing Hakim Ziyech reveals boss Frank Lampard was a key reason for his move to Stamford Bridge
Chelsea signing Hakim Ziyech has revealed that boss Frank Lampard was a key reason for his move to Stamford Bridge.
The current Ajax midfielder was signed by the Blues a couple of days after the closure of the January transfer window for £37m.
The 26-year-old will stay with the reigning Eredivisie champions until the end of the season before joining Lampard’s side in July.
The Morocco international spoke about his pending transfer stating that Lampard played a key role as to why he decided to end up choosing Chelsea over other clubs.
The midfielder stated that he had a lot of contact with the Chelsea legend prior to his move and felt that Lampard gave him a good impression and feeling that it would be the right move to make.
He continued saying that the Blues also play a great style of football under Lampard, something that he is accustomed to with his current club Ajax.
The midfielder had plenty of interest in his services over the years with clubs such as Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Arsenal all rumoured to be potential destinations.
Ziyech already showed Chelsea fans how great he is when Ajax faced off against the Blues in the Champions League group stage. The midfield maestro claimed three assists in a thrilling 4-4 draw at Stamford Bridge.
The Dutch side were knocked out of the competition having made it to the semi-finals the previous year, and only being a last-minute winner away from being in the final.
Ziyech stated that it was also why he joined Chelsea, saying that he wanted to be at a club that is playing in big competitions.
The Blues should be excited with Ziyech’s arrival as he can help fill the big shoes left by Eden Hazard who departed for Real Madrid in the summer.
The 26-year-old is capable of playing in multiple attacking positions and is just about to enter his prime. He has heavily impressed once again for Erik ten Hag’s side, which is proven by his outstanding statistics.
He has contributed to a whopping 29 goals in just 32 appearances in all competitions, with two goals and five assists in six Champions League games.
Lampard’s side are in a great position once again to qualify for Europe’s elite competition as they sit in 4th place in the Premier League.
