Erik ten Hag and Eddie Howe are probably the most in-fashion managers in the Premier League right now. While Arsenal fans may argue the case for Mikel Arteta, his touchline antics make it easy to repel rival supporters from gravitating towards him.
Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp have monopolised this conversation in recent years but are enduring a rare blip in their otherwise glittering careers. The class and dignity of Ten Hag and Howe, as well as their attacking football philosophies, has endeared the duo to their fanbases in such a short space of time.
That is why, should Newcastle United make a move for Chelsea star Hakim Ziyech, Howe could possess the attributes to rejuvenate his career…
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Reports have linked the Magpies with the 29-year-old in recent times. Lavish spending in the transfer market since Todd Boehly’s consortium bought the club has pushed Ziyech down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge.
A creative midfielder was on Newcastle’s radar last summer as two attempts to sign James Maddison broke down. The Blues’ outcast would provide a cheaper - albeit - older - solution to that problem.
It was Ten Hag who helped propel Ziyech into the limelight during their time at Ajax. Reaching the Champions League semi-finals in 2019 resulted in most of the Dutchman’s side being broken up.
While Ziyech initially stayed, a phone call from West London would see him pack his bags just one year later. Ten Hag often raved about the Moroccan during their three-year spell together.
"Hakim (Ziyech), the classic individualist, in the good sense of the word,” the Manchester United boss said in 2019. “You need him to make the difference and at times you need him in the team structure too. He can see the team cohesion and he sees the bigger picture.
"Whenever resistance is at its highest, Ziyech shines. We have many players who can create but in the final third, no one is as good as Hakim. He has been very decisive, and he has such specific qualities that cannot simply be found in other players"
Impressive performances for Morocco at the World Cup also prove how much he still has to offer. An unfancied side reached the semi-finals in Qatar - the first African nation to do so in history.
Chelsea fans were left bewildered by Ziyech’s displays. How could a player look so different to the one who rarely wears a blue shirt at Stamford Bridge? Howe’s subtle similarities to Ten Hag could help him rediscover that golden touch and become a fans’ favourite on Tyneside.
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