World football governing body FIFA have released a statement that will have an impact on the transfer of Hakim Ziyech to Chelsea.
The 27 year old was set to join Chelsea on July 1 from Ajax but that will now change due to the latest statement from FIFA. Player contracts usually run from July 1 to June 30 but due to the suspension of leagues across Europe as the world battles the coronavirus, that is now set to change.
The FIFA statement read: “Expiring player contracts usually end when the season ends, with a termination date that coincides with the end of the season.
“With the current suspension of play in most countries, it is now obvious that the current season will not end when people thought it would.
“Therefore, it is proposed that contracts be extended until such time that the season does actually end.
“This should be in line with the original intention of the parties when the contract was signed and should also preserve sporting integrity and stability. “A similar principle applies to contracts due to begin when the new season starts, meaning the entry into force of such contracts is delayed until the next season actually does start.”
As there is no indication on when seasons will finish or when the new seasons might well commence, Ziyech’s arrival at Chelsea is unknown at this point.