Hakim Ziyech looked almost certain to secure a temporary move to Paris Saint-Germain on deadline day, but the move fell through courtesy of a calamity of documentation errors. A mixture of wrong documents and a computer fault meant the deadline was missed and the Moroccan returned to London .
Three days after seeing his move to play alongside Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar fall through at the 11th hour, Ziyech was named in Graham Potter's line-up to face Fulham. Many laid blame on the Blues for the failure of the deal, with their utmost focus on completing their club-record deal for Enzo Fernandez.
"These stories won't be the first or last, but he is a professional player and understands the situation," Potter said on Thursday. "He is committed to us and is available for the squad for the game tomorrow. He'll be an important player for us for the rest of the season."
READ MORE: Chelsea slammed with major Hakim Ziyech allegation after failed Paris Saint-German transfer
Since his return to west London, PSG sporting advisor Luis Campos was critical of Chelsea's methods in the late transfer in an interview with Telefoot. "Ziyech? We did everything," he said. "But as with all transfers, the three parties have to work well. It worked with PSG, with Ziyech, but unfortunately, at the last moment, not with Chelsea."
Now, with Ziyech set to play a major role in Potter's squad for the second half of the season, the 29-year-old faces extended doubts over his future. His contract at Stamford Bridge expires in 2025 and Todd Boehly is expected to recoup some of the £33.3million the club paid Ajax for his services under Roman Abramovich.
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has claimed that letting Ziyech leave in the summer is a "priority", with both parties working together to present the easiest solution. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he said: "Ziyech, he was one step away from joining PSG, the deal was done, then not completed because of the document drama.
"Then what's going on right is that Graham Potter is helping the player, the coaching staff are helping the player. He was playing in the last game with Fulham.
"So they're still protecting Hakim Ziyech. But in the summer, the priority will be to find another solution as Ziyech wants to be a regular starter for his future."
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