Ex- Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rafael van der Vaart has hinted that the signing of Hakim Ziyech could potentially have pushed Manchester United towards the Premier League title.
The former Ajax playmaker has not really hit the heights expected of him since arriving on English shores. Having been snapped up by Chelsea in the summer of 2020, he has never quite managed to forge a first-team place at Stamford Bridge.
In the time since, he has scored just 14 goals for the Blues. He has been tipped to leave the club on a number of occasions - former club Ajax having been strongly linked with a swoop for his services in the summer as they attempted to find a replacement for Old Trafford-bound Antony.
The Dutch side did eventually move for a Premier League wideman but instead sealed a deal for Tottenham winger Steven Bergwijn. Intriguingly, United themselves were also interested in a swoop for Ziyech with Ten Hag reportedly interested - only to see his suggestion vetoed by the Red Devils board.
Reflecting on the Moroccan’s current situation at Stamford Bridge - and the interest in his signature - van der Vaart has claimed that his signing would have pushed any potential employers including Tottenham towards the Premier League crown.
Speaking to Ziggo Sport, he said: “Hakim Ziyech has to join Tottenham. If Tottenham get Hakim Ziyech, they could win the Premier League. I am serious.”
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It remains to be seen whether United retain an interest in Ziyech but he certainly has a decision to make regarding his future. The 29-year-old will have just two years remaining on his Chelsea contract come the summer transfer window.
Dutch icon Marco van Basten has given his view on the winger’s current situation, claiming that it is a “shame” that he does not receive more regular football and has demanded for more legislation to stop clubs from stockpiling talented players.
He said: “It is a pity for the whole of football that he is on the bench. If these kinds of players do not get minutes, it is not good for football.
“There should actually be a rule that clubs can only have a certain number of players. So they [Chelsea] have way too many and that actually makes football less interesting. A player like Ziyech could just play at another club and entertain the fans.”
In all, Ziyech has made 90 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea since arriving in West London - only 51 of those being starts. He has only been named in the starting line-up once so far this season, coming in the 2-1 reverse at the hands of Southampton back in August.
