Aston Villa now touted with move for £39m star at Villa Park

Aston Villa could beat Newcastle United and Everton to the signing of Chelsea midfielder Hakim Ziyech, according to journalist Alex Crook.

Simon Phillips has told GIVEMESPORT that Ziyech would ‘happily’ leave the Blues this month, and a move to Villa Park to link with up with Unai Emery could be on the cards.

Aston Villa transfer news – Hakim Ziyech

Chelsea agreed to sign the Moroccan back in February 2020, in a deal could rise to £39m, as per the Guardian, but his time at the club looks like it is coming to an end, with the Athletic naming Villa as potential suitors.

The report states that the 29-year-old is on Emery’s radar due to the fact that he is comfortable playing in multiple positions across the frontline, but the Villans will have to fend off interest from elsewhere if they are going to win the race for his signature.

Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol has claimed that AS Roma have held talks with the player’s representatives, but would struggle to meet his £100k-a-week wages, with Newcastle and Villa given a better chance of being able to conclude a deal. (via Birmingham Live)

Everton have also been credited with an interest in the midfielder by Sky Sports, viewing him as a potential replacement for Anthony Gordon.

What has Alex Crook said about Hakim Ziyech?

In an interview with GIVEMESPORT, Crook suggested that the Villans could win the race to sign Ziyech, while he also gave another club very little chance of being able to complete the signing.

The journalist said: “I could see Villa actually out of all those clubs, I don’t think he’d particularly want to join Everton, nobody really wants to join.”

Would Hakim Ziyech be a good signing for Aston Villa?

The former Ajax man has not been in great form this season, bagging just one assist in the ten Premier League outings that he has had, as per Transfermarkt, however there is some indication that he could still be a nice addition for Villa.

Described as a ‘real handful’ by former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan, the playmaker is a constant threat going forward.

He is always looking to move the ball into more dangerous areas of the pitch, as indicated by an average of 4.45 progressive passes per 90 in the past year, an amount that ranks him in the 87th percentile compared to his positional peers.

With Emery’s side struggling to craft opportunities at times this season, ranked in the bottom half of Premier League clubs for big chances created, they could do with a creative presence, and Ziyech would be a useful, and critically, versatile option to have.

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