Chelsea and new acquisition Hakim Ziyech are a match made in heaven thinks his current Ajax team-mate, Donny van de Beek.
Hakim is set to join the Blues in the summer after the club agreed a £37 million fee with the Dutch giants to land the winger. The Stamford Bridge outfit saw an offer for the 26-year-old snubbed in January but have continued talks amid increasing competition from rival clubs.
The Dutch-born Morocco international had a £25 million release clause last summer but that was eradicated when the star agreed an improved contract while Ajax wanted the player to see out this season. De Joden confirmed the impending move via Twitter this week but before they made it official, Donny had spoken about his current team-mate’s qualities.
‘Yes, if I hear all the reports, I will assume that it is already far. I do not know if it is completely finished,’ Donny told Voetbal Primeur.
‘I wish him everything and I hope he will do very well there. It is a step he deserves in my opinion. He is a fantastic football player, so I am confident that he will do well.
‘I think it’s a very nice club with a lot of young players that can grow. I think Hakim will certainly be in [the right] place. ‘Everyone, of course, has their opinion about that, but I think it’s a nice club for him.’
The Blues will know Ziyech quite well having come up against the attacker and Ajax in the Champions League group stage earlier this campaign. The first match in Amsterdam saw the Blues win 1-0 with the reverse fixture ending 4-4 – with Hakim starting both matches.