CHELSEA have conjured up the £36.7million signing of magic man Hakim Ziyech. The skilful Ajax winger — nicknamed the Wizard of Amsterdam — is the first piece of an attacking overhaul the Blues hope will cast a spell on the Premier League. They also have Jadon Sancho, Jude Bellingham and Moussa Dembele firmly on their […]
CHELSEA have conjured up the £36.7million signing of magic man Hakim Ziyech.
The skilful Ajax winger — nicknamed the Wizard of Amsterdam — is the first piece of an attacking overhaul the Blues hope will cast a spell on the Premier League.
They also have Jadon Sancho, Jude Bellingham and Moussa Dembele firmly on their radar.
And as Frank Lampard’s rebuild continues, Willian, Pedro and Olivier Giroud are set to be offloaded.
Ziyech, 26, will move to Stamford Bridge in the summer and Dutch giants Ajax tweeted: “Hey @ChelseaFC, you have to believe in his magic. And great things will happen.”
Ziyech posted a message on Instagram promising more to come following his return from a calf injury on Wednesday.
The Moroccan international, who joins for an initial £33.3m plus add-ons — as SunSport told you on Wednesday — said: “Happy to be fit again so I can enjoy these last months on the pitch, where I belong.
“Very happy with my next step but first I have some unfinished business.”
Boss Lampard hopes to build a young, exciting squad capable of locking horns with Liverpool and Manchester City for the title, meaning Pedro, 32, and Willian, 31, will be off.
One of the reasons Ziyech caught the eye was his ability to create AND score, with six goals and 12 assists in the Eredivisie already this season.
Sancho, 19, also fits the bill, highlighted by his 12 goals and 13 assists in the Bundesliga this term.
But Chelsea know they face a major battle to sign the Borussia Dortmund whizkid, especially with Manchester United willing to offer him a mega wage packet.
Dortmund are looking at £120m for the England forward, knowing Manchester City will get 15 per cent of any profit they make on their £8m Etihad signing.
With Giroud, 33, set to leave this summer, Blues have targeted French striker Dembele, 23, with Lyon likely to do business at around £45m.
Chelsea are also in a £50m battle with United for Birmingham’s 16-year-old starlet Bellingham.
