Everton will compete with four other clubs to sign 64-cap Moroccan international Hakim Ziyech from Galatasaray in the January transfer window.
According to a report by French outlet Jeunes Footeux, Hakim Ziyech is the subject of interest from Everton. The Toffees are scouring the market for an offensive reinforcement heading into the January transfer window. So, the 31-year-old Galatasaray playmaker has emerged as a target target, with the former Chelsea attacker ready to leave the Turkish club next month.
Hakim Ziyech and a rollercoaster career
Hakim Ziyech has endured a topsy-turvy ride since leaving Ajax nearly half a decade ago. The experienced playmaker was among the most highly sought-after attackers in the world when Chelsea snapped him up in the summer transfer window of 2020. However, the spell with the West London club did not work as well as he would have liked.
Galatasaray initially signed the 31-year-old on loan in August 2023 before completing a permanent move earlier this year in the summer transfer window. However, Ziyech has become a peripheral figure for the Turkish Super Lig outfit this season, managing only 320 minutes of game time across 11 appearances in all competitions while chipping in with one assist.
Despite Ziyech’s struggles, his stock in the market remains high, with the report by Jeunes Footeux claiming that five clubs are vying for his signature. The Moroccan international is also a target for Everton, with the former Chelsea playmaker ready to part ways with Galatasaray in the January transfer window.
Premier League return on the horizon?
Everton’s interest in Hakim Ziyech is understandable. While the former Ajax attacker’s spell with Chelsea did not work as well as he would have liked, he showed flashes of his brilliance and mustered Premier League experience for three years. Meanwhile, Jack Harrison has blown hot and cold this season, thus necessitating the addition of a new forward.
So, several candidates, including Ernest Nuamah, have emerged on Everton’s radar, with Ziyech also a viable target for the Merseyside outfit. However, the Toffees face stiff competition from Girona, Real Sociedad, Villarreal, and Stade Rennais for the Galatasaray outcast.
In addition, recent reports have linked the former Chelsea playmaker with West Ham United. So, Everton will face stiff competition for the signature of the 31-year-old Moroccan international, and it will be interesting to see where he lands in the January transfer window.