Hakim Ziyech and Malang Sarr have done their hopes of Chelsea futures no harm at all with their starring roles in the Blues’ victory against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Thomas Tuchel’s men eased past their London rivals at Stamford Bridge, the Moroccan opening the scoring with a stunning drive, before Thiago Silva followed that up with this second goal against Spurs this season.
Both Ziyech and Sarr were included in the starting line-up - certainly a brave call by Thomas Tuchel - but one that paid off, with the pair turning in highly impressive performances.
The former’s goal is one of the Blues’ best strike of the season, and also represented his second goal in as many Premier League games after he found the net at Brighton and Hove Albion - the first time he has managed to score in back-to-back league games since arriving from Ajax.
It is certainly a remarkable turnaround from the wideman, who seemed set to be an expensive mistake from Marina Granovskaia, with Ziyech being linked with a rapid exit to Borussia Dortmund or Barcelona.
Rated at £31.5m by transfermarkt, it would now seem a baffling decision to let the 28-year-old go, especially with Chelsea boss Tuchel admitting that the Blues have now found a place where he can get the best out of the winger.
Talking after the win against Spurs, he said: “It was one of [Ziyech’s] best matches today because he was very reliable. It was also maybe his best position to be on the wing.
“We had the wide position on the right wing, that position does not normally exist in that particular manner when we play 3-4-3, it is more of a wing back.
“Maybe we can think about doing this. It was good because it gave him the opportunity to take risks where it was possible to take risks. He was very reliable on the ball in moments where it is necessary.”
Elsewhere in the Chelsea side, the German also appears to have finally found a place for French defender Malang Sarr.
Signed on a free transfer from Nice in the summer of 2020, he endured a stuttering period on-loan with Portuguese giants, whilst has only been afforded ten appearances at Stamford Bridge this term.
However, starting in a somewhat unorthodox position of left-back on his 23rd birthday, Sarr turned in a hugely impressive defensive showing by keeping the likes of Harry Kane quiet.
Previously linked with a loan move to both AC Milan and Leicester City, Tuchel may rethink the future of the young Frenchman.
So, whilst the funds from the sale of the two players might well be useful in the immediate future, the pair’s re-emergence at Stamford Bridge is a huge benefit to Chelsea, despite rumoured exits a week ahead of the January transfer window.
