All the new faces at Chelsea got the fans hot under the collar ahead of the new campaign and with good reason after barely managing to secure the Champions League place.
Timo Werner smashed records by netting goals in Germany, Kai Havertz came with a huge record fee signing and also been dubbed as the next Michael Ballack, while the veteran defender and captain Thiago Silva brought a wealth of European experience at the defence.
However, one signing that went under the limelight was the purchasing of Hakim Ziyech. The fact that how early the deal was completed and getting injured just in the pre-season friendly made him out of the limelight. All doubts about his career in the Premier League were cleared in his just two starts of the match for Chelsea and now it is very clear who has made the most impact and excited the fans among the plethora of new faces.
The new attacking midfielder has taken every competition by storm following his very game for the Blues against Krasnodar in the Champions League group stage match. This all occurred even after his initial injury in Chelsea’s friendly fixture that led him to miss the games for the Blues.
The former Ajax man committed his future to the West London club in the winter transfer window closed last year and has just recovered from his knee injury.
By any and all standards, the Moroccan attacker has started off his career for the Blues brilliantly and was incredible in Chelsea’s most recent win against Sheffield United. Ashley cole termed him as a magician and his left leg as his wand as he assisted the goal of Ben Chilwell.
After a goal on his full debut against Krasnodar, he scored a goal and an assist in the match against Burnley before and then again gave a magnificent performance against Sheffield United on Saturday.
Ziyech promising to bring beautiful football in a pre-match interview after seeing his side fall behind. His actions spoke louder than his words as he set-up Mateo Kovacic with his sumptuous pass in the build-up to Tammy Abraham’s equalizer, before a wicked, swirling cross unlocked Sheffield United’s defence.
He has five goal contributions to his name in all competitions for the Blues already and has influenced the game massively in all of his starts for the club. The former Ajax star has adapted very well to life in West London.
His amazing performances for Chelsea have received praise from Chelsea legend Ashley Cole, who has tipped the midfielder for great success in a Chelsea shirt. Cole admitted that the 27-year-old’s ability to pass the ball makes him want to come out of retirement himself.
It becomes absolutely difficult for the opposition to defend the deliveries of Ziyech that have so much pace and fizz and provides Chelsea with a weapon most can only wish to possess. The presence of Timo Werner, Silva and Ziyech is exactly why Chelsea can now be considered as serious title contenders.
But improving more than the fourth-place spot that they secured the last term will no the say as Liverpool Manchester City are a set team and would challenge them toe-o-toe. The German striker, Werner could well turn out to be the goal machine in presence of Ziyech to do just that, as could Havertz.
On this evidence, however, the man with the real x-factor is undoubtedly Hakim Ziyech. With a wand of a left foot and dangerous crossing ability, Ziyech has the tools to get the Chelsea engine firing into top gear and undoubtedly the biggest weapon this season.
