Paris Saint-Germain boss Christophe Galtier has hit out at Chelsea over Hakim Ziyech's botched transfer deadline day move.
Ziyech appeared set to join the Ligue 1 giants on loan, with his opportunities at the Blues having grown increasingly limited. He has made just 15 appearances in all competitions this campaign, with Chelsea having also signed Mykhaylo Mudryk and Noni Madueke in January.
The Moroccan international appeared set to be handed an escape route by PSG, who were looking to boost their squad as they push to win Ligue 1, the Champions League and the Coupe de France, having sold Pablo Sarabia to Wolves.
He even flew out to Paris in the hope of pushing through a loan move and reportedly even privately messaged Chelsea owner Todd Boehly. But the deal collapsed, late on, with PSG boss Galtier now pointing the finger at the Blues.
“From the moment we released Pablo Sarabia to join England, we targeted players who could play on the right side. For various reasons, which I won't go into, we couldn't make the player we had targeted," he said after PSG's win over Montpellier on Wednesday.
"I have a quality workforce, the young people will have their say. Obviously in a very busy schedule you have to be careful with injuries and fatigue, but there you go, I'm satisfied with the squad I have.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Can Hakim Ziyech reclaim a place in the Chelsea team? Comment below.
"Unfortunately, we could have reinforced it following the departure of Pablo, but we couldn't. I believe that the responsibility does not lie with our club. That's how we move forward. That’s how it is, that’s life, we look ahead.
“We wanted to replace Sarabia, with a player able to evolve on the right side. Unfortunately, Ziyech was not done and these are the hazards of the transfer window. It must be accepted. The responsibility does not lie with PSG, as I know.”
A deal had been agreed between the two clubs before it collapsed, with Ziyech negotiating directly with PSG after flying to the French capital. The collapse came after the relevant paperwork was not submitted before the deadline.
PSG branded Chelsea a 'class-A circus' with reports suggesting they had submitted the incorrect documents on three separate occasions. The Blues hit back at that though, with the Daily Mail reporting the Premier League side blamed technology issues.
The disappointment over failing to sign Ziyech came just before PSG lost superstar Kylian Mbappe to injury during their win over Montpellier. Galtier is still waiting for a prognosis on the attacker.
"It doesn't seem very serious, for one as for the other. We will see. Obviously they are two important players. On what we saw at half-time and what we said to each other, there is not too much worry," he said.
"Kylian took a blow behind the knee and on the muscle. Is it a contusion, a hematoma. We don't know yet. With the sequence of matches, we prefer not to take any risks."
