Chelsea FINALLY reach agreement for exit of flop willing to PAY for transfer - Romano

Updated: 16 Aug 2023 10:51 BST
4 min read

Fabrizio Romano issues Chelsea transfer update — © ProShots

Hakim Ziyech could finally be on his way out of Chelsea, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Moroccan has been the subject of one of the weirdest transfer sagas of the summer. Expected to be part of the Chelsea exodus at the beginning of the transfer window, Ziyech appeared to be well on his way to follow Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy and N'Golo Kante to Saudi Arabia.

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Al-Nassr had agreed a deal with the Blues for the €40 million flop, but then the transfer hit a roadblock. The 30-year-old's medical yielded unsatisfactory results, prompting Cristiano Ronaldo's Saudi giants to reappraise their offer. They came back with a contract that included a salary reduced by 40 per cent, though it gave Ziyech the opportunity of reaching the previous figure in fitness-related bonuses.

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Nevertheless, the Moroccan rejected the new deal and the transfer fell through - the second move of his that failed at the last minute after a paperwork error saw his January loan to PSG collapse. Despite reports that another one of the Public Investment Fund-owned Saudi Pro League clubs could pick up Al-Nassr's deal, nothing ultimately came of it.

Ziyech desperate to leave

In the wake of this, it was reported that Ziyech would even be prepared to financially contribute in order to facilitate his Chelsea exit to a European club. Now, it seems he will get his European move, though whether he will actually have to chip in is yet to be disclosed.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea and Galatasaray have reached a "verbal agreement in principle" for the transfer of the 30-year-old. However, the "deal [is] subject to further details and also medical tests — as Chelsea are careful after twists with PSG and Al Nassr," writes the transfer guru.

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Gala are coming off a successful season, having won their first Super Lig title since 2018/19 last term. Ziyech would link up with the likes of Wilfried Zaha, Lucas Torreira, Mauro Icardi and Dries Mertens on the European side of Istanbul.