Transfer News: AC Milan see Chelsea star Hakim Ziyech as potential Hakan Calhanoglu replacement
According to Italian source Di Marzio (h/t Football.london), AC Milan are looking at Chelsea playmaker, Hakim Ziyech, to replace the outgoing Hakan Calhanoglu.
The Turkish playmaker, according to Fabrizio Romano, is close to signing a contract with Inter Milan until 2024 as a free agent. And it is evident that Milan would want to replace the 27-year-old.
The Moroccan winger joined Chelsea’s camp in the summer of 2020 but has failed to become a pinned starter at the club. He was mostly on the bench this season as he made just 15 Premier League starts for the club.
He was also an unused substitute in Chelsea’s biggest game of the season – the UEFA Champions League final against Manchester City, which they won 1-0 via a Kai Havertz goal.
Ziyech to AC Milan?
But that doesn’t mean that he is not useful for the team. Ziyech made prominent appearances over the course of the season and it must be kept in mind that this is his first full season with the club.
Tuchel acknowledged that Ziyech had to ‘suffer’ under him earlier this year. Speaking in February, he addressed that it was a hard decision to not accord a lot of starts to the former Ajax star.
“It is my fault, it is my decision. For Hakim and some other players here are hard decisions to make, it is a good thing because it means we have quality. There are some decisions for other players that means Hakim suffers at the moment…”
Chelsea should look to keep this squad intact as much as they can apart from selling off deadwood and bringing in players that add depth to the team.
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Ziyech is, by no means surplus to requirements, and Tuchel should work towards keeping the 28-year-old at Stamford Bridge.