AC Milan to bid for Chelsea star in January transfer window - Reports
AC Milan have made it a habit to conduct transfer business with Chelsea. They signed Olivier Giroud and Fikayo Tomori from the Blues in the summer of 2021 and sealed a loan deal for Tiemoue Bakayoko once again.
There have been several players who have switched from west London to Milan in the past two decades, be it on loan or permanent transfer. Andriy Shevchenko, Fernando Torres, Michael Essien, and Mario Pasalic are some of the most high-profile examples.
AC Milan are seemingly eager to add another Chelsea player to their ranks in the form of Hakim Ziyech. As per La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Football-Italia), the Rossoneri are preparing an offer for an initial loan deal with an option to buy the player for €15 million.
They are supposedly long-term admirers of the Chelsea playmaker and wanted to sign him this summer as well before bringing in Charles de Ketelaere from Club Brugge. Ziyech is currently struggling for playing time in west London.
#Milan, una fretta del Diavolo: Ziyech a gennaio e summit con Leao rosea.it/ca3b167bMb
He has made just three league appearances under manager Graham Potter, and all of them have been cameos off the bench. The rot started during former manager Thomas Tuchel's time in charge of the club, who did not trust the former Ajax midfielder to start a run of games.
Netherlands manager Louis van Gaal recently called out the German tactician for his maltreatment of the Morocco international. Ziyech is currently with the Morocco national team at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where he has started in all four of their games thus far.
The Atlas Lions are set to take on Portugal in their first-ever World Cup final on December 10.
Hakim Ziyech from Chelsea to AC Milan - a deal that makes sense?
Technical director Paolo Maldini and director of football Frederic Massara have held a long-term interest in Ziyech.
Never doubt Hakim Ziyech's class 🥶 https://t.co/rTgZatB4SU
If he does leave Chelsea for AC Milan, this could mean that the player will be trusted with regular playing time. The Diavoli could benefit from his versatility, whereby he can play as a right midfielder, a central midfielder, as well as a number 10.
This would mean strengthening multiple positions with one signing. An initial loan deal with an option to buy would also give them the benefit of backing out of the deal if he fails to impress.
But it remains to be seen if such an offer will sit right with Chelsea. It is hard to see the Blues wanting to retain the player given his lack of minutes at the club.
In such a situation, selling teams would prefer an obligation rather than an option to buy. Ziyech's contract runs until the summer of 2025 at Stamford Bridge.