With two Chelsea players in the semi-finals of the World Cup, very few not named Samuel Eto'o would have predicted Hakim Ziyech as being one of those still in Qatar. His inspired and inspiring Morocco side have become the first African side to reach the last four of the tournament.
They have a tough challenge to get past reigning champions France, but the same was said ahead of matches with Spain and Portugal. Such has been the impressive nature of their run to this stage, only one goal has been conceded, and that was a deflected effort.
With a team that consists of several household names, Achraf Hakimi, Ziyech, Sofiane Boufal and Romain Saiss perhaps most notably, Walid Regragui has made his men into genuine competitors for the biggest prize. Not many Chelsea fans will have seen it coming.
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Given the version of Ziyech that has been on display for the past 12 months, often cutting an isolated, uninterested and unhappy figure, to see an energetic side playing with speed and organisation, in-which Ziyech is an integral cog, will be surprising. The 29-year-old was expected to leave Stamford Bridge over the summer after falling massively out of favour with Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter hasn't seen much more in him either.
However, glowing performances in Qatar will have done his stock some good heading into January, and the opportunity to move on may well be just around the corner once more. Such is the shop window effect of a global tournament, the attention could also be coming from unexpected sources, and Manchester United are reportedly one of the clubs that would be keen to secure his services.
With former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag at the helm, Ziyech could be in place to have a reunion. The Dutch manager was in charge of Ziyech when Chelsea came calling in 2019, but the opposite could happen soon, and former Morocco man Mustafa El Haddaoui things the move makes perfect sense.
Speaking to Corriere dello Sport, he said: “Now we’re seeing Hakim’s potential, we can see what he’s capable of. He has a lot to offer. He needs to leave Chelsea and go to Manchester United, because the former Ajax manager [Ten Hag] wanted him. He will bounce back, but he needs to leave Chelsea during the winter transfer market.”
Although it may be too late for Ziyech at Chelsea, and too late for Potter to get a true resurgence out of him at club level, he has kept getting praise, with Ian Wright glowing in his admiration, saying, "I’m loving Hakim Ziyech at this World Cup, I’m loving him," on the Wrighty’s House podcast. "I love the way he’s playing.
"He plays with a different energy when he plays for his country. I watch him at Chelsea and I’m not being negative, but the difference is this man needs it when he’s playing for Morocco. Remember he had all those problems with the [previous] coach, he wasn’t playing, then the coach is gone, they got their guy in and look at where they are now."
Meanwhile, Roy Keane told SkyBet, "Hakim Ziyech seems like a different player – it’s a different environment, sometimes players struggle at club level, but the World Cup and international football can suit other personalities better. Ziyech looks like a big personality for Morocco, and you don’t see that at club level for Chelsea."
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