Chelsea’s signing of Hakim Ziyech was a mistake.
Chelsea’s lavish spending has always been a cause of contention since the club established itself as one of the Premier League’s elite, and the millions invested have not always resulted in the finest outcomes on the field.
Yet, there are a few examples of players deteriorating to the extent that Hakim Ziyech has, with the Moroccan’s market worth plummeting throughout his stay at Stamford Bridge as a result of his poor performances.
The one-footed winger joined Chelsea in the summer of 2020, having agreed to join in February of that year, signing a five-year contract after joining from Ajax for £33.3 million.
It was easy to see why the Blues were interested in signing the attacker, since he had played a significant role in the Dutch side’s progress to the Champions League semi-finals the previous season, as well as an astounding 16 goals and 17 assists in the 2018/19 league campaign.
All total, Ziyech would score 49 goals and assist 81 times in 165 games for the Eredivisie giants, a figure he has sadly been unable to match during his time at Chelsea.
The winger, who makes £100,000 per week at Stamford Bridge, has made 102 appearances in total, scoring 14 goals and assisting 11. Consistency has been his primary difficulty during his time in England, with one brilliant performance frequently followed by several dismal ones.
Thus far this season, he has failed to even demonstrate periodic excellent form, with 0 goals and only one assist in 19 appearances across all competitions. Many members of the fanbase, notably podcaster Ryan Whitney, have labeled him “lazy” as a result.
Those figures have helped him earn a surprising 6.47 rating from WhoScored for his Premier League efforts, placing him as the 24th-best player in Graham Potter’s side.
It’s hardly surprising that he wanted to go in January, but a deal to PSG fell through on deadline day, leaving Chelsea with a disgruntled, out-of-form winger who appears certain to leave for a large loss in the near future.
When Ziyech joined Chelsea, Transfermarkt valued him at €45 million (£39.8 million), but in the three years thereafter, his worth has decreased to €20 million (£17.7 million), a 55% decline.
Given his on-field performances and current market value, Ziyech’s move to Chelsea must be considered a failure, with the Blues increasingly likely to offload him during the summer.
