How Hakim Ziyech went from Chelsea Champions League winner to clubless in just four years

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Hakim Ziyech is a forgotten man in the footballing world, despite all of the hype that previously surrounded him.

The Moroccan forward had all the attention on him after his stunning individual display for Ajax against Tottenham Hotspur in the 2020 Champions League semi-finals, and Chelsea pounced on that.

The Blues paid £36million for Ziyech in 2020, and there was plenty of excitement and buzz about what he could produce in the Premier League.

Yet fast-forward to 2025, and he is currently a free agent. No major club seems willing to take a chance on him, and his future in the game is up in the air.

Hakim Ziyech is now a free agent after being released by Al-Duhail

Ziyech had plenty of talent to offer Chelsea, which was evident before he joined the club, and at times during his three seasons at Stamford Bridge.

The highlight of his Chelsea career came in 2021 when Thomas Tuchel guided the team to Champions League success, with the Blues defeating Manchester City by a goal to nil to claim Europe’s top prize.

While Ziyech was an unused substitute during that match, he was heavily involved in the competition throughout the year, helping Chelsea reach that stage.

However, he would depart the club in 2023 to join Galatasaray, but he failed to make the expected level of impact.

Ziyech’s struggles in Turkey led to him joining Al-Duhail, but he only remained in Qatar for four months after they mutually agreed to terminate his contract in May of this year.

Since that point, Ziyech has been without a club as the former Champions League winner wasn’t picked up by any team throughout the summer transfer window, despite the fact he wouldn’t have cost anyone a fee.

The fact that Ziyech hasn’t been able to bag a move as a free agent is an alarming situation for him as an individual, with the potential he had in his early Chelsea days simply never amounting to much.

Hakim Ziyech failed to deliver on his hype at Chelsea

Ziyech was able to pull off some unbelievable moments while playing for Chelsea, showcasing his incredible passing range and striking abilities at times.

However, he struggled to gain regular game time from the first whistle as his moments of glory were often too fleeting.

It led to him being frequently in and out of the team, a trend that has continued throughout his career since leaving Stamford Bridge.