Player says he’s spoken to Lampard – Excited to be joining Chelsea in summer window

Hakim Ziyech signing for Chelsea is one of the tidier big transfers of recent years.

Several Premier League clubs had been credited with interest, and hours after English claims of a potential move to Stamford Bridge, it was widely reported in the Netherlands that a transfer had been agreed.

Ajax and Chelsea quickly confirmed the deal was in place, and Ziyech would be moving to Chelsea when the summer transfer window opens. Despite the relatively low fee, the Dutch club feel they’ve got a good deal due to previous clauses in the player’s contract, and assurances made to Ziyech and his agent.

Everyone involved is happy with the impending transfer, which is something which can’t always be said.

So calm is the situation, that Ziyech has spoken to Ajax’s official TV channel about signing for Chelsea, and was able to express his excitement about the opportunity.

Dutch website Soccer News quote him as saying: “Finally my chance. I’m happy with it, yes. First of all, this is a very big club, a beautiful club. Of course, it has a whole history. They play attacking football with a lot of young talents under the new coach. I think that has also been very important to me.”

Asked is he’s spoken to Chelsea’s manager, Ziyech said: “In the beginning mainly by telephone. We did talk to each other for a long time about the way of working, the playing style, the club itself and about me personally. After those conversations the feeling became stronger and stronger for me. It was quickly clear that I wanted to go that way.”

Given several others clubs were interested, with Soccer News naming Sevilla and AS Roma, the player was asked what made him choose Chelsea specifically: “It is one of the strongest competitions in the world, it is a top club and they play very attractive football. That attracts me.”