It seems that the Spanish club Barcelona is planning to conclude a reciprocal deal with Chelsea, which includes Moroccan star Hakim Ziyech, who is expected to leave the "Blues" during the current winter transfer period.
And the Spanish newspaper "Sport" reported that the Barcelona sports administration named Hakim Ziyash as a possible replacement for Dutchman Memphis Depay, who moved to Atletico Madrid, noting that his arrival might take place under a reciprocal deal with Chelsea.
#FCB 🔵🔴
💥 Gullit: "I encantaría ver a Ziyech en el Barça, encajaría a la perfect"
🗣️ The exjugador neerlandés cree que el extremo marroquí "solo necesita jugar en banda derecha para recuperar su mejor nivel"https://t.co/BxEZIvR2KG
— Diario SPORT (@sport) January 21, 2023
She added that the proposed reciprocal deal includes Ivorian midfielder Frank Casey, who is requested by Chelsea, and who does not participate mainly with Barcelona.
According to the newspaper "Sport", Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez is determined to sign a replacement for Depay during the current winter transfer period, and he does not mind the arrival of Hakim Ziyech, in light of positive reports about the Moroccan player.
The newspaper added that Ziyash was a candidate for moving to Barcelona in previous periods, but the club preferred at that time to sign Ferran Torres from Arsenal, and then Adama Traore from Wolverhampton, knowing that neither of them had proven himself with the team, and the second returned to his club after the end of his loan period.
Barcelona's sports director, Dutchman Jordi Cruyff, supports the contract with Ziyash by virtue of his previous knowledge of him during his time with Ajax Amsterdam.
The newspaper says that Ziyash's brilliance during the recent World Cup "Qatar 2022" with the Moroccan national team increases the chances of contracting with the player, who, accompanied by the "Atlas Lions", reached the semi-finals.
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She added that Barcelona tried in 2020 to sign Ziyash, before Chelsea succeeded in winning the services of the Moroccan player from Ajax Amsterdam for 40 million euros.
In the 2021 winter transfer market, Ziyash was at the gates of Barcelona on loan, but the sports administration preferred at that time to contract with Adama Traore, who arrived at Camp Nou on loan from Wolverhampton, in addition to signing with Ferran Torres from Manchester City.
Since his arrival at Chelsea on July 1, 2020, Ziyash has played 94 matches with Chelsea in all tournaments, during which he scored 14 goals and provided his teammates with 11 assists.
In the current season, Ziyash appeared in only 15 matches, 10 of which were in the English Premier League, and he did not score any goal, and provided one assist.