'One to watch': Fabrizio Romano drops update on 'great' World Cup playmaker linked with Tottenham

By Giuseppe Labellarte

Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with Chelsea and Morocco forward Hakim Ziyech in recent months.

Back in August, journalist Toni Juanmarti suggested that Spurs got close to agreeing personal terms with the attacking midfielder.

In the end, Tottenham didn’t get a move over the line and Ziyech stayed at Stamford Bridge.

However, Spurs could well try again in January, with Graham Potter seemingly willing to let the £36million man leave.

More recently, Gazzetta Dello Sport suggested that Ziyech is willing to take a pay cut in order to make a move.

Tottenham may look to bring in a player who can challenge Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison.

The pair have been instrumental to Spurs’ success this season.

However, when Conte lost both players to injury, their performances dropped, as did points.

Tottenham can certainly kick on in the second half of the season, but they could really do with reinforcements.

‘This player is great and he needs to play’

Now, Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Ziyech is eager to “try something different” next year.

“Hakim Ziyech,” the transfer insider said of the World Cup quarter-finalist on his YouTube channel.

“He’s not so young but he was needing that kind of performance as he had with Morocco in the World Cup.

“This player is great and he needs to play.

“This is the point – in the summer he had a chance with AC Milan, then with Ajax.

“Chelsea only wanted the permanent transfer not a loan.

“But I think that in 2023, January or summer, he will have a serious chance to leave Chelsea and have a new opportunity.

“So Hakim Ziyech could be one to watch on the market already in January.

“If not January, in the summer, because he wants to try something different.

“And when he plays on a consistent base he’s showing how good he is as always.”

Although Ziyech has failed to impress at Chelsea, his displays for Morocco at the World Cup are proof of what a great player he is.

Meanwhile, Conte has shown how good he is at reinvigorating struggling players. Let’s not forget Dejan Kulusevski was a fringe player at Juve.

Could the Tottenham boss do the same with Ziyech?