Chelsea accused of ‘deliberately bullying’ Ziyech

Milan Keskin

• 4 Feb 2023 13:43 GMT
• 3 min read

Hakim Ziyech missed out on a transfer to Paris Saint-Germain on the final day of the January window, with Chelsea having sent the wrong paperwork to Paris several times.

A deal that Ziyech had pushed hard to complete therefore went wrong at the last minute.

According to Ruud Gullit, there is no question of a misunderstanding, but of a conscious action by Chelsea.

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Disappointed, Ziyech returned to London the day after his transfer fell through. The attacking midfielder was depressed after missing out on his loan transfer to the Ligue 1 leaders.

According to Gullit, this is understandable.

“This really wasn't a mistake from Chelsea. This is a conscious action by the club. Yes, this is bullying," the analyst told Ziggo Sport 's Football Café.

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The former international thinks that Ziyech will make himself heard at Chelsea. According to Gullit, the 29-year-old Drontenaar can take the hits, but his pride will be damaged.

“I know Ziyech a bit. He's a really great guy, but don't f**k with him because then he gets really toxic," Gullit added.

The analyst added that he would like to have seen Ziyech's reaction to the Chelsea management.

Ziyech staying at Chelsea

By missing out on his loan transfer to PSG, Ziyech has no choice but to finish the season at Chelsea. After all, the attacking midfielder still has an ongoing contract until mid-2025 in London.

According to Graham Potter, Ziyech does not have to worry about his playing time.

“Hakim is a professional who understands his situation," Potter said at his press conference on Thursday. “He is back in England and trained again this morning. Hakim is available for Friday's game against Fulham. He will be an important player for us for the rest of this season.”

Indeed, Ziyech started the 0-0 draw against the Cottagers but disappointed with his overall display, notably screwing a shot terribly wide when he was in a position to score at the back post.