Meet Hakim Ziyech -- The Moroccan maestro on the Premier League radar

In the process of their 4-2 win over Vitesse on Tuesday night, Ajax made history. They are now the first Dutch team to score 160 goals across all competitions in a single season. As the campaign comes to a head, the Amsterdam powerhouse are in formidable form and it means they're top of the Eredivisie following a run of six successive league wins, albeit having played a game more than challengers PSV. 

Nevertheless, this is another season to be celebrated for Ajax. Gearing up for a Champions League semi-final meeting with Tottenham and in the final of the KNVB Cup, Erik ten Hag’s side remain in the hat to land the treble. The downside for Ajax’s success, though, is that their squad is set to be ripped apart this summer. 

Frenkie de Jong is already off to Barcelona, while captain Matthjis de Ligt is set to follow his compatriot out the Johan Cruijff ArenA. Nicolas Tagliafico, Donny van de Beek and David Neres have also been linked with moves away from Amsterdam this summer with the core of this exciting, vibrant squad set to be torn limb from limb as the vultures circle. 

If Ajax do end the season with a bang, however, Hakim Ziyech is likely to again be the spark that ignites the push for glory. The Moroccan maestro has been in phenomenal form for Ajax this season, with his WhoScored rating a stunning 8.50, that better than any other Eredivisie player this season. He has been named the WhoScored man of the match award in 10 of his 27 league appearances and is one of six players to have registered double figures for both goals (16) and assists (12) in the top tier of Dutch football this term. 

With his third season at Ajax drawing to a close, it feels as though the sun is setting on his time in the Netherlands. Having successfully made the leap to the Eredivisie’s most recognisable club, taking his fine Twente form to Amsterdam, Ziyech feels ready to take the next step in his career. It comes at the opportune time for Europe’s big hitters to take a punt on the 26-year-old. 

Reports suggest that Ziyech has a £25m release clause in his contract that can be triggered this summer. As you can imagine, there is a lengthy list of potential suitors for the Ajax sensation, with no fewer than five Premier League teams rumoured to be among those chasing Ziyech’s signature. It’s for good reason too with Ziyech the ideal creative star that would improve nigh-on any team, regardless of their stature. 

It’s for this reason why title contenders Manchester City and Liverpool are keeping tabs on Ziyech. Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham are also monitoring his situation and, feasibly speaking, the Morocco international would make for an astute capture and walk into any of the quintet’s starting XI. He is top for accurate through balls (20) in the Eredivisie this season to reinforce a statistically calculated WhoScored strength of ‘through balls’. 

He’s second for clear-cut chances created (25) and key passes (101) in the Eredivisie this term and those linked with Ziyech would benefit tremendously from his ability to spot a teammate and pry defences apart with an inch-perfect pass. A license to drift across the final third, despite prominently starting from the right, allows Ziyech to crop up in positions that can maximise his immense creative talent and with a freedom to move about in attack, it boosts his chances of adding to his goal or assist column as he positions himself in areas where teammates can pick him out. 

Off the ball Ziyech profits from the opportunity to move freely into space having won possession in the attacking third more times (50) than any other player in the Eredivisie this season. This allows Ajax to spring rapid attacks on unsuspecting opponents, which helps the team in the final third. A previous tendency to complicate matters in attack appears to have been ironed out as Ziyech matures and it’s resulted in arguably his best league season to date. 

As perhaps the jewell in this Ajax crown, the Dutch giants will be reluctant to let Ziyech depart for pastures new, but with the rumoured aforementioned release clause that can be triggered this summer, they cannot stand in his way if he wants to try his luck in the Premier League. Given the consistency of his performances and his attacking output to match, interest from England’s best comes as little surprise and whoever wins the race to secure Ziyech’s services will land themselves arguably of the finest talents outside of Europe’s top five leagues.