Future Chelsea man Hakim Ziyech has picked up Ajax’s player of the year award for a 3rd consecutive year, following the Eredivisie’s cancellation.
It must be a very bitter-sweet end to Hakim Ziyech’s Ajax career. The wizard playmaker, who will go down as one of the club’s greatest modern players, will leave the Dutch giants for Chelsea on July 1st, although he will not be allowed to suit up for the Blues until the 2020-21 season, despite the Premier League season likely drifting into the later summer months.
Ziyech has had a wonderful career in the Eredivisie, amassing an unbelievable 79 goals and 97 assists in 216 matches between 2016 and now. He is somewhat of a late bloomer, as his top-class quality has really only begun to show on a larger scale over the past year or two, particularly with Ajax’s cinderella run to the Champions League semi-final last year.
The Moroccan international was hot property for a while, particularly around the recent January transfer window, but Chelsea snapped up his services for an extremely modest £36m. When similar-level players like Nicolas Pepe and Bruno Fernandes are moving for twice that amount, you can tell Chelsea have pulled off a stormer – if Ziyech performs in the Premier League, of course.
"‘I am happy to take the next step, but you don’t want to end it like this. It feels as if you didn’t pass the exams, that’s how it feels. You’re powerless. It doesn’t feel like the season ended successfully.’ – Hakim Ziyech on leaving Ajax following the Eredivisie cancellation"
Hakim Ziyech in the Eredivisie since 2017/18:
— Squawka (@Squawka) May 15, 2020
❍ Most shots
❍ Most shots on target
❍ Most chances created
❍ Most Big Chances created
❍ Most goals outside the box
❍ Most penalties won
❍ Most through balls
❍ Most assists
Ajax Player of the Year in all three seasons. ✖️✖️✖️ pic.twitter.com/kC6Mhvs5th
As the title mentions, Hakim Ziyech has once again picked up Ajax’s player of the year award – for a 3rd consecutive year, I might add.
Despite the world-class performances of players like Dusan Tadic, Frenkie de Jong, and Matthijs de Ligt last season, Ziyech was still given the honor. This proves his quality, as the latter 2 players made moves to Barcelona and Juventus respectively last summer.
Ajax was not given the Eredivisie title this season since they were tied for points per game with AZ Alkmaar, but Ziyech can still look back on the season with pride, as his performances continued to meet his high standards.
No doubt his presence will help Chelsea’s massive crop of young forwards within the next few years, as the creative, dynamic Hakim Ziyech becomes a focal-point in Frank Lampard’s team.