Hakim Ziyech's loan move to Paris Saint-Germain appears to have collapsed after Chelsea messed up the necessary paperwork.
Ziyech, 29, was expected to complete a switch to PSG on deadline day. Chelsea were happy for the Morocco international to leave Stamford Bridge and he arrived in Paris on Tuesday to finalise the deal, but news of the transfer went quiet as the day progressed.
Then, once the deadline had passed, it emerged that Chelsea had provided the wrong documents and the transfer was not completed in time. Reports in France even suggested the Blues filed the incorrect paperwork three times before the deadline passed.
PSG are now expected to launch an appeal to try to get the transfer completed after the deadline. Chelsea, who have finalised a deal for Enzo Fernandez, are yet to comment on the matter. This saga could rumble on for days to come.
A PSG source has described the situation as a "Class A circus" to The Athletic. Ziyech was expected to complete a transfer away from Chelsea in January after starting just four Premier League games this season. He has not scored a club goal since last March.
Yet several clubs were chasing Ziyech's signature after he helped Morocco reach the semi-finals of the recent World Cup. He featured in all seven of his country's games at the tournament in Qatar, as Morocco became the first African nation to reach the last four.
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AC Milan, Roma, RB Leipzig and several Premier League sides - including Newcastle - were all after Ziyech's signature, but PSG was his preferred choice. Despite the transfer appearing to be a formality, there is now a good chance that the player will stay at Chelsea.
Ziyech joined Chelsea in the summer of 2020 after impressing at Dutch sides Heerenveen, Twente and Ajax. Under the management of Erik ten Hag, the winger won the Eredivisie title, KNVB Cup and Johan Cruyff Shield during his time at the latter club.
Ziyech was also part of the Ajax squad that reached the Europa League final in May 2017 - losing 2-0 to Manchester United - and he helped the Dutch side reach the Champions League semi-finals two years later. They famously lost in the last minute to Tottenham.
Ziyech has won the Champions League, European Super Cup and Club World Cup during his two-and-a-half years at Chelsea. He has also reached two FA Cup finals and one Carabao Cup final but suffered agonising defeats to Leicester and Liverpool (twice).
If Ziyech's move to PSG cannot be salvaged, he will have to try to help Chelsea rescue their season. The Blues are 10th in the Premier League table - 10 points behind Man Utd in fourth - and have already been knocked out of the Carabao Cup and FA Cup.
Chelsea are still in the Champions League and will play Borussia Dortmund in the last 16.
