The agent of Chelsea bound Hakim Ziyech has claimed that the player rejected big European clubs before deciding to consider the offer from west London.
Chelsea had an agreement in place to sign Ziyech from Ajax in February, with the player accepting a move to Stamford Bridge at the end of the season.
With the Dutch domestic season cancelled, the winger has played his last game for Ajax and is now preparing for life at Chelsea, though it is not clear when he will be able to join his new team-mates.
Ziyech was regularly tipped to leave Ajax in recent years before agreeing to join Chelsea and the winger’s agent, Mustapha Nakhli, admits that there were offers from some big clubs in Europe.
He insisted that the winger had a real chance to leave Ajax in January, with several clubs wanting him, but he decided against it and opted to wait before agreeing to the right transfer move.
“Hakim is a big player, a real leader now”, his agent told Dutch magazine Voetbal International.
“He also knows very well what he can do and where he wants to go. That is why we also waited a long time for a transfer because the right club with the right story never came along.
“We have rejected some really big European clubs, not just Sevilla.
“There were clubs in November that wanted to sign him during the winter break, I’ve never flown so much.
“But in the end, we didn’t feel good about it.”
Ziyech scored 48 times and provided 82 assists for his team-mates in 165 appearances for Ajax.
