Former Manchester United centre back Rio Ferdinand has described Chelsea new signing Hakim Ziyech as ‘magnificent’ while also comparing him with Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez.
Ziyech shone during his four-year stay with the Sons of the Gods as they clinched the Eredivisie title, KNVB Cup, Johan Cruyff Shield and finished as runner-up in the 2017 Europa League.
The Reaal Dronten academy graduate scored 38 goals and provided 62 assists for Ajax amid other dazzling displays which caught the attention of several European clubs.
The forward then settled for Chelsea after it became clear he was leaving the Johan Cruyff Arena outfit with the Premier League club parting with €40 million to secure his signature.
The winger, who signed a five-year deal with the Stamford Bridge outfit, only teamed up with the Blues in July, after completing the 2019-20 season with Ajax.
The 27-year-old Morocco international is known for his dribbling skills and technique which he uses to break up defences.
Ferdinand feels the style of play of Ziyech is similar to Algeria international Mahrez and believes the forward will be a hit in the Premier League.
‘We watched Ziyech last season for Ajax, he was magnificent,’ Ferdinand told BT Sport.
‘He reminds me a little bit of [Riyad] Mahrez but he crosses the ball a little bit more. He’s someone who’s really always trying to find a way to unlock defences with his delivery. [He has] a lot of guile.’
Mahrez was the best-performing player as Leicester City won the Premier League in the 2015-16 campaign and deservedly scooped the club’s Player of the Season and PFA Players’ Player of the Year awards among other individual accolades.
The winger spent four years at the King Power Stadium before joining Manchester City in the summer of 2018 and has also been in fine form for the Citizens.
In the 2019-20 campaign, the forward bagged 12 goals and provided 13 assists as Pep Guardiola’s men finished as runner-up in the Premier League.
While Ziyech has 14 goals in 32 appearances for Morocco, Mahrez has been capped 57 times by Algeria and led the side to win the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
