August 19, (THEWILL) – Moroccan winger, Hakim Ziyech, has finalised a loan move from Chelsea to Turkish giants, Galatasaray.
The 30-year-old will spend the 2023/2024 season on loan in Istanbul, with Galatasaray having the option to sign him permanently next summer. Ziyech was omitted from Chelsea’s pre-season preparations after it became clear he was not in manager Mauricio Pochettino’s plans. With limited interest elsewhere, Chelsea agreed to loan the former Ajax star out to Galatasaray.
No loan fee was paid, but the Turkish club can sign Ziyech for free at the end of the loan. The Morocco international moved to Chelsea in 2020 for a fee in excess of £30 million, but has struggled to hold down a regular place in the team. With Pochettino looking to trim his squad size, Ziyech was deemed surplus to requirements along with striker, Romelu Lukaku.
Pochettino has indicated he wants a squad of around 22 or 23 senior players this season, supplemented by talented youngsters from the club’s Youth Academy. With Chelsea not competing in Europe, the manager feels this sized squad will suffice.
Ziyech will now hope to revive his career in Turkey and earn that permanent move next summer. His opportunities were limited at Chelsea, but Galatasaray represents a chance at regular first-team football again.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
