Rumor Mongering: Hakim Ziyech on the Radar?

Probably not, though.

So the Nabil Fekir deal fell apart and Liverpool probably won’t sign him. But you already knew that.

So Liverpool need an attacking midfielder who can play the most advanced role in a midfield three and play defence splitting passes while being able to press. That’s quite a specific skillset and there aren’t an awful lot of those around.

One player who might fit the bill is Hakim Ziyech of Ajax, currently featuring as the key player for Morocco at the World Cup. Ziyech is gifted with incredible technique and vision, able to crack open a defensive unit with a perfectly weighted pass. He would be ideal to pick out Liverpool’s mobile front three. He does have somewhat of a tendency to be a little unstructured, and tends to take an awful lot of speculative shots from way outside the box, but nobody is perfect. His signing would make a lot of sense in many ways.

So anyway, it has been stated by Calcio Mercato (as reported by the Daily Express) that Liverpool would be interested in acquiring Mr. Ziyech’s services. It is claimed that the Moroccan’s agent has been visiting England, with Liverpool among a few clubs (notably Everton) interested in signing the player.

It’s fair to describe Calcio Mercato’s record with transfer rumor accuracy as abysmal. They’re one of the many outlets in this game who will make up all sorts of ridiculous ideas for a few extra hits. What’s more, as an Italian publication, they have no reason to have any connection with the buying club, the selling club (Ajax, in The Netherlands), or the player (Moroccan). The idea that a story of this magnitude would be broken by a website in Italy is fanciful.

Still, it would make sense for Liverpool to be looking at Ziyech, and even as this story is surely complete fiction, a stopped clock is right twice a day. While there’s no serious indication we’re in for him, Ziyech would fit the bill, so it wouldn’t be a shock if his name comes up again.

Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com