Thomas Tuchel has played down the talk of Hakim Ziyech leaving Chelsea in the January window amid the recent speculation surrounding the attacker’s future in the English capital.
FC Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund have been credited with a strong interest in signing Ziyech from the Stamford Bridge fold where the Morocco international has failed to cement his first-team regular credentials.
In the build-up to the forthcoming winter transfer window, the rumour-mongering was that Ziyech could be in line to demand a move away from Chelsea with Dortmund keen on making a loan swoop for his signature.
The forward player had made the switch to England’s top flight in the summer of 2020 from Ajax in a big-money but the Chelsea fans are yet to see the very best of Ziyech’s flair in front of the goal.
Chelsea manager Tuchel, however, was quick to dismiss the talk in his pre-match presser ahead of the Leicester City clash that the Blues camp were looking to offload Ziyech come January with the player backed as an important figure in the ranks by his boss.
“In the moment, here in Cobham there an no thoughts about his future or a potential change, a swap deal or whatever in winter, I have talked to nobody about it here in Cobham.”
“Hakim was not in my office to express a wish like this. Right now, he is an important guy. He is very talented, very ambitious and he is a full part of the squad.
“He was last season and is this season. We expect the very best of him all the time, but it is tough competition. I cannot let everybody play all the time for 90 minutes. It is simply not possible.”
“I said many times, he was brilliant in pre-season.
“He had a major injury which was a huge setback. He played after his shoulder injury with pain and huge protection that kept him from being totally free which is necessary for his game, his movement and mobility, and his position and style of play.
“So now he stepped up in the last games, we had some injuries, he took the chance to have more game time, like Callum [Hudson-Odoi] did and he was decisive. He assisted and scored. It’s good.”
