Milan tracked Hakim Ziyech in the summer, but they preferred sealing the deal for Charles De Ketelaere. With the Belgian prodigy having trouble getting accustomed to Serie A football, they could target the Chelsea outcast again in January, SportMediaset informs.
The Moroccan playmaker continues to be an afterthought for the Blues despite the coaching change. He has started just once in Premier and Champions League. He has logged 8 appearances for a total of 200 minutes in the main competitions without scoring or assisting.
The price tag of Ziyech continues to decrease, but his salary was the biggest problem for Milan. They could reach an understanding with Chelsea on a €20M fee, possibly with an initial loan, but he makes €6M per year, more than any of their current players. It remains to be seen whether the ownership change and advancing in Europe will drive them to increase their payroll.
The Rossoneri could trim their roster around the edges in January. Fode Ballo-Touré has some suitors in France and could leave for a decent offer. Yacine Adli will likely head back to Ligue 1 temporarily to get minutes.
Our Take on Milan Eyeing Ziyech
It would be a rare win-now move for the reigning champions, which tends to go after young players with upside. The uncertainty related to Brahim Diaz has to be factored in too. They are far from certain to retain him from Real Madrid at the end of the campaign. It could be a forward-looking purchase, and the versatility of the former Ajax ace wouldn’t hurt. But he’d have to agree to lower wages, which seems like a stretch.
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