Milan target 28-year-old Chelsea star as alternative option to Brest playmaker

AC Milan eye Chelsea ace Hakim Ziyech as alternative transfer target ahead of January

According to Italian news outlet Calciomercato (h/t ESPN), AC Milan have identified Chelsea ace Hakim Ziyech as an alternative transfer target in the attacking midfield department ahead of January. He has not hit the same heights that he had shown consistently during his time at Ajax.

Brest midfielder Romain Faivre is the primary option for Milan, but they have shortlisted Ziyech as a backup option. The latter started the current campaign poorly but has seen himself fight back into contention for regular minutes. Compared to his form at the start of the season, he has shown more signs of replicating the quality for which he was bought.

The 28-year-old has made 18 appearances this season while scoring three goals and assisting four times in the process. The entirety of his goal involvement has come when he has started to pick up the form in recent months. He could still become a success at Stamford Bridge, but he needs to do a lot better than what he has shown right now.

Potential departure?

The Moroccan missed the recent win against Brentford in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals due to lacking the desired match fitness. There has also been uncertainty regarding his future but a move in the winter transfer window would not be a wise move by the club given our current circumstances.

The injury issues and the congested fixture list may have come at an opportune moment for the Morocco international as it provides him with chances to get a foothold in the team. He must not take the opportunities lightly as there will not be many in the future once the crisis is overcome.

Former Blues players like Fikayo Tomori, Olivier Giroud and loanee Tiemoue Bakayoko had moved to San Siro in the previous years. It remains to be seen whether that connection would play a part in the potential transfer of the Blues midfielder.

Time will tell whether there will be a dramatic turnaround in the Chelsea star’s future moving forward. He has shown flashes, but that is not enough if you have to compete at the very top. Our recent slump is one such example. That has seen us fall in terms of points in the Premier League. Let’s hope that the Blues playmaker would find a light at the end of the tunnel for his benefit and ours.

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If not, offloading him is always an option to have. We have ample attacking midfielders and wingers even if Ziyech departs Stamford Bridge. That being said, his impact from the bench cannot be underestimated and the depth and competition he provides for us up front is an asset to have for sure.