Juventus midfielder Denis Zakaria has announced his departure from Chelsea. The Swiss star joined the Blues on loan last summer, with an option-to-buy making his deal permanent for £26 million.
However, Zakaria struggled to secure regular playing time at Chelsea and was hampered by injuries throughout the season. He made only 13 appearances for the club across all competitions, averaging 55 minutes per game.
Despite having the option to make his loan move permanent, recent reports indicated that Chelsea would not exercise that option, and now Zakaria himself has confirmed his departure on social media.
While writing on his Instagram handle, the 26-year-old said:
“It‘s been a tough time but you guys always had my back. Thanks to everyone who‘s been supporting me! Let’s focus on the beautiful memories.”
The loan move from Juventus seemed promising on paper, but in practice, it did not work out as expected.
Zakaria’s season with Chelsea concluded with just over 600 minutes of playing time, one goal, and a few decent performances that fell short of convincing the club’s three head coaches.
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Mauricio Pochettino is already been planning a major squad overhaul this season with many squad players set to be sold or sent back to their parent club. Many more players will be allowed to move through the exit doors at Stamford Bridge in the upcoming weeks.
Best wishes to Zakaria for his future endeavors.
