Transfer News: Chelsea could sell both Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech
According to Spanish publication Fichajes (h/t Daily Star), Chelsea could cut their losses on Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner in the upcoming transfer windows.
The duo joined the club in the summer of 2020 to much fanfare. While they have had their moments, neither player has managed to meet expectations at the Bridge.
Werner was one of the finest young goalscorers in the Bundesliga. However, he appears to have left behind his scoring shoes at RB Leipzig and is anything but prolific in London. The Blues paid £48million to secure his services.
According to the report, the German international could be sold as early as January. Unless his form picks up soon, there will be little defence against the club’s decision.
Werner has so far made 59 appearances for Chelsea, scoring 13 goals and assisting 19 more. His numbers are in no way bad, just not of the standards expected of the club’s ace striker. He has found the back of the net just once in seven games this season.
Ziyech too appears to be a pale shadow of the player he was at Ajax Amsterdam. The Moroccon too has had his moments but has failed to deliver on a consistent basis. He has made 45 appearances for the club, scoring seven goals and assisting five more. With just one goal in six appearances this season, matters have hardly improved.
By selling the duo, the Blues can not just recoup transfer fees but also cut down on their wage bill. This could pave the way for them to land Napoli’s Lorenzo Insigne. The 30-year-old is out of contract next summer and is a player who could make a telling difference for Thomas Tuchel’s side. Whether the Italian will indeed make the move remains to be seen.
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Chelsea have been astute in their transfer dealings in recent windows. It is inevitable that some deals that may look good off the bat may not be so in reality. Unfortunately, we have had to bite the bullet regarding both Werner and Ziyech. Whether either of them can make a strong case for them staying on remains to be seen.