Todd Boehly was in danger of reopening a long-standing feud between Hakim Ziyech and Vahid Halilhodzic if he had followed through with plans to meet the manager over the vacant Chelsea job.
Boehly acted quickly to sack Thomas Tuchel just a month into the new season after three defeats in seven league and European matches. According to reports in France, Halilhodzic - like Tuchel, a former Paris Saint-Germain manager - was among those in the mix before the Blues opted for Graham Potter.
Had Chelsea opted for the Bosnian, though, it's unlikely Ziyech would have been happy. The Moroccan winger quit international football following a feud with the 69-year-old which kept him out of January's Africa Cup of Nations.
According to L'Equipe (via Get French Football News ), Boehly agreed to meet Halilhodzic before ultimately appointing Potter. The veteran manager, who took charge of Algeria at the 2014 World Cup, has been out of work since being sacked by Morocco in August, just a few months after helping them qualify for Qatar 2022.
Halilhodzic's dispute with Ziyech came to a fore in September 2021, prompting suggestions - later proved accurate - that the player might sit out AFCON. "His behaviour in the last two matches, especially the last one, was not that of a national team player who as a leader in the team has to be a positive role model," the manager said of the former Ajax star.
"He arrived late and after that, he even refused to work," Halilhodzic added. "There was no point in discussing it afterwards, as a coach the answer is right there to see. For me, the national team is above everything, nobody can hold it hostage."
Morocco were eliminated from the Africa Cup of Nations at the quarter-final stage, and Ziyech was asked about his future ahead of the World Cup play-off against Democratic Republic of Congo. However, he doubled down on his stance.
"I understand them, but I will not return to the Moroccan national team and this is my final decision," the 29-year-old told ADSportsTV. It's all clear for me how things are going over there and I am focusing on what I am doing and, right now, that is my club.
"At the end of the day, it's a decision he makes and you have to respect it. All the lying that comes with it, it's, for me, clear and I will not return to the national team.
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Ziyech had been linked with a move away from Chelsea over the summer, but opted to stay in west London. He played three times under Tuchel this season, with his only start coming in the Premier League defeat away to Southampton in August.
New manager Potter will have time to get a feel for his squad, meaning Ziyech will have time to impress ahead of the upcoming international break. With Halilhodzic no longer at the helm for Morocco, Ziyech has returned to his country's squad for their pre-World Cup friendlies.
Chelsea will not be in domestic action before the break, with their weekend match against Liverpool postponed amid policing issues ahead of the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. However, Potter will have a chance to lead his team out in midweek, with the Blues hosting Red Bull Salzburg in the Champions League.
