One obstacle to Hakim Ziyech’s move to Chelsea is about to be removed.
Despite the Moroccan winger having signed for the club from Ajax in February in a £36.6 million deal, there were fears that his transfer to West London could be delayed. That was because, of the coronavirus pandemic which caused leagues across Europe to be suspended, with players’ contracts likely to be extended until they could be completed.
However, part of that impediment is likely to be removed with the Eredivisie on the verge of being cancelled. It follows a decision by the Dutch government earlier this week to prolong the ban on mass gatherings and sporting events in the country until September 1st at the earliest, with clubs deciding that the rest of the season should be cancelled.
That means that Ziyech is now free to move from the Dutch side, although there could still be issues from the English end because of the uncertain status of those wanting to join new clubs if the Premier League season is not yet complete.
Andy is an exiled English football fan living in Cyprus. He loves all sports but football is his abiding passion, and he still has dreams every now and then about scoring the winning goal in a Wembley Cup Final, even though his playing days are long gone. He follows most major leagues, across Europe at least, and has a favoured team in each. When he’s not watching, listening, reading or downloading podcasts about football, he spend his time worrying about his beloved Arsenal.