Transfer News: Thomas Tuchel has blocked Barcelona from trying to sign Chelsea duo Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner in January
According to transfer news on Sport (h/t The Metro), Thomas Tuchel has blocked the exit of Chelsea duo Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner amidst a potential move to Barcelona in the January transfer window..
The pair have not been afforded enough minutes this season. Romelu Lukaku played the majority of the minutes at the start of the season, while Kai Havertz deputised when the Belgian was injured. Werner has been mainly restricted to the Cup competitions this term.
Ziyech, on the other hand, had a good pre-season and also starred in the UEFA Super Cup final. However, injuries prevented him from garnering consistent minutes. He has since been slowly edging his way back into the starting line-up. The duo is being eyed by Barcelona, with their chief in contact with Marina Granovskaia about signing them on a loan deal in January.
However, Tuchel has now blocked a potential move as he does not want to be left with a small squad for the second half of the season, especially since we are still competing on all fronts this season.
Tuchel to the rescue?
Winning the Premier League title is not going to be an easy job this season. Manchester City and Liverpool look stronger than ever and will fight tooth and nail. Chelsea were top of the table for quite a while but lost the spot after the defeat against West Ham.
Thus, it is going to take some doing to get back there again. We are going to need every player to step up during the season since we will be competing in nearly five tournaments, including the FIFA Club World Cup in February.
Ziyech and Werner might not have played a lot but remain integral to the plans. The Moroccan remains one of our chief creators, while the German’s pace is a threat to opposing defences. The latter has also looked more confident while playing alongside Lukaku this season.
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Thus, there is a plan in place for both players. Letting them leave in January could derail our title challenge, given the number of injuries our players have picked up since the start of the season. Tuchel has made the right decision by blocking this move as he is aware that the long-term goals shall always trump short-term profits.