Chelsea have chance to add to Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United misery
Chelsea won’t do Manchester United any favors on or off the pitch. The Blues are relishing the chance to deal Erik ten Hag a blow in the transfer market.
Erik ten Hag hasn’t been on the job very long, but it’s clear Manchester United don’t have the ideal squad to execute his tactics. That’s why the Premier League giants have been scouring the transfer market for attackers capable of finding the back of the net at Old Trafford.
The latest name to enter the transfer rumor mill for Manchester United is out of favor Blues Hakim Ziyech. The Morrocan attacker opened this Premier League campaign as an unused substitute for Thomas Tuchel’s side. The fact that he and ten Hag worked together at Ajax makes the possibility of him making the move from Chelsea to Manchester United a distinct possibility.
Could Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech be a fit at Manchester United?
According to The Manchester Evening News, higher-ups at United are “resistant” to the idea of making a bid for the attacker. This represents a sharp departure from United’s backing of ten Hag to date. It could be the first sign of a possible fracture between club officials and their new manager.
Chelsea don’t have any desire to keep hold of Ziyech, but that doesn’t mean they will be willing to let him head to a direct Premier League rival. Instead, expect the Blues to use United’s potential interest in Ziyech against them in the press. Officials at Stamford Bridge would love nothing more than to deal another blow to ten Hag’s reputation in the media.
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If Ziyech is going to be allowed to move to Manchester United expect Chelsea to force their English rivals to pay a premium for his services. Despite his struggles at Chelsea, it’s very likely Ziyech can give ten Hag an immediate boost due to his familiarity with the manager’s system. Chelsea officials understand that. Expect any negotiations over Ziyech moving to Manchester United to move at a slow pace while Chelsea look to tormet their league rivals.