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3. Ziyech is a 'Maverick' with a very strong character
One thing Chelsea fans will notice about their new signing is his ability to influence big matches. Hakim Ziyech has made a name for himself by being exceptional in the big European matches for Ajax in the last couple of seasons.
The 26-year-old was seen at his creative best against the likes of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Juventus, Tottenham Hotspur, and Chelsea in recent times and it was only a matter of time before he left Ajax to play either in England or Spain.
Stamford Bridge is crying out loud for someone to replace Eden Hazard's magic and be the match-winner for Chelsea. Hakim Ziyech indeed has all the attributes to be the new darling of the Chelsea fans. He tries to dribble past defenses, he is never shy of playing the audacious passes, and above all the Moroccan believes in himself to come out trumps more often than not.
Ziyech loves to take the game by the scruff of the neck, demand the ball in dire situations and create something out of nothing. Chelsea need a player like him to align their attacking play. During Hazard's time with The Blues, he kept at least 2 opposing defenders glued on himself which allowed others to find that extra bit of space to work with.
Those who have seen Ziyech play will know that his playing style is somewhat similar to Hazard which could see Lampard shape his team's attacking play around his new signing. However, more than Ziyech's showing on the pitch, his attitude off the field and the commitment levels have improved in the last 12-18 months.
People close to the player are convinced that he has finally matured into a man and is ready for this big step up in his career. One man who has been influential in Ziyech's progression into a professional football is Aziz Doufikar. The 56-year-old is a former Moroccan international star and is like a mentor as well as a father figure for the new Chelsea signing. Doufikar believes his protege is ready to take Premier League by storm. The 56-year-old was quoted saying:
“This is a good step; Hakim is really ready for it now. He has learned not to always put on his smoking jacket, but sometimes his overalls.”
Former Tottenham Hotspur star and Holland international star Rafael Van der Vaart is a fan of Ziyech as well. Chelsea fans would love what he had to say about their summer signing. Van der Vaart said,
"I would miss him terribly. He is such a fantastic player. He has such a gifted left foot and is so creative. He’s the kind of player I watch football matches for."
On paper, Chelsea seem to have got away with a steal by signing Hakim Ziyech for just £37million while teams like Manchester United, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich are still looking to sign creative wide players. Chelsea are expected to make further additions to their squad in the summer which could potentially make them one of the favorites for the Premier League 2020-21 title.
