Marco van Basten has urged Erik ten Hag to bring Hakim Ziyech to Manchester United, insisting the Chelsea playmaker could be a beneficial signing.
Erik ten Hag has already begun working at Manchester United after deciding to arrive early to sort things in the background. He wanted to understand the club and its culture and get to know the staff better before getting to work on footballing matters. The incoming manager is also planning to meet some current players before making his moves in the transfer market.
Even before ten Hag took his first steps in the corridors of Manchester United, the media has been speculating about the manager’s transfer demands. The Dutchman is reportedly demanding many of his former players, including Matthijs de Ligt and Sebastien Haller, among others.
Despite mounting pressure of transfer speculation, ten Hag insists he knows how to handle such matters. He recently said, “Of course, this was already the case at Ajax. You take that in, and then you have to continue to work well with the dressing room and with people within the club. You have to analyse well and make the right choices.”
And sticking to transfer speculation, Marco van Basten has managed to add another name to ten Hag’s list by insisting his compatriot should sign Hakim Ziyech from Chelsea. The Dutch legend’s comments on Ziggo Sport were quoted by the Daily Mail, as he suggested the Chelsea playmaker would help Manchester United in terms of his quality.
Marco van Basten said, “What comes to my mind now is that I think Ziyech who already plays in England could be a very good footballer at Manchester United for Erik.”
Ziyech has not been the player he was under ten Hag at Ajax. He has somewhat regressed at Chelsea, having failed to nail a starting spot under Thomas Tuchel. The Moroccan playmaker has scored some crucial goals and been a part of a successful UEFA Champions League campaign.
Ziyech has 14 goals and ten assists in 81 appearances for Chelsea. While he remains dispensable, he has been courting interest from outside England. But he might prefer to stay in the Premier League as he has proved to be adaptable to the league.
Chelsea and Manchester United have done business before, and there is a chance such transfer speculation could become a reality. Whether Ziyech would fit into the system at Old Trafford under ten Hag remains unclear. But having played under ten Hag before, the Moroccan playmaker could enjoy an easy adaptation period if a move goes through.
