Former Liverpool star warns Tottenham against signing 29-year-old

Glen Johnson has claimed that rumoured Tottenham target Hakim Ziyech is not well suited to the Premier League.

Ziyech has struggled for game time at Stamford Bridge this season both under Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter, and the winger’s days at the West London club appear to be numbered.

Chelsea
(Photo by Visionhaus)

The 29-year-old was considered by many to be one of the best wingers in Europe during his Ajax days and he served a timely reminder of his quality with his performances for Morocco at the World Cup.

Tottenham have been credited with an interest in the Ziyech ahead of January, with Todo Fichajes reporting two months ago that the North London club were ready to pay £20m for the former Ajax star.

AC Milan had subsequently also been credited with an interest in the Chelsea star but Gazzetta dello Sport reported last week that the Rossoneri had pulled out of the race for the winger as they were unwilling to meet his salary demands of €8m per season (£6.8m).

Johnson believes that Ziyech is not able to cope with the aggression of the Premier League and opined that the former Ajax man is at his best when he has time on the ball.

The former Liverpool right-back told gaming website GGRecon about the Moroccan: “I’m a big fan of him and he’s obviously a super player, however, I believe that the Premier League may be a little bit too aggressive for him. 

“Technically there’s no doubt about what he can do as he’s one of the best, but international football is closer to Champions League football than it is the Premier League and what I mean by that is, is that you get more time on the ball and you’ve got more time to take the ball down and play.

“That suits Hakim more than the speed and physicality of the Premier League. International football and Champions League football suits him better.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Johnson’s point about Ziyech is a fair one but I would certainly take him at Spurs as a backup to Kulusevski as the Swede is the only attacker in the squad who can carry the ball and beat players. However, I am certain that Ziyech will want to join a club where is likely to get regular game time, which likely rules out any chance of a Tottenham move.

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