Marcel Brands has sent fans wild, after Everton Insider claimed our Director of Football had asked super-agent Mino Raiola to facilitate a deal with Ajax for Hakim Ziyech.
Raiola is not the Moroccan’s official agent, but it has been noted that the leading representative for Juventus’ and reported Blues target Moise Kean often works on the biggest deals in the Eredivisie and has a close relationship with Ajax.
Brands hopes the relationship he shares with the 51-year-old Italian will also help our advances, as Raiola is said to be a big fan of our Director of Football and the project being carried out by Marco Silva at Goodison Park.
Reports by Sport Bild picked up by Dutch publication Bladna suggest Ziyech is again attracting the interest of Bayern Munich, after the Bundesliga giant’s advances to sign FC Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele, Chelsea forward Callum Hudson-Odoi and Manchester City star Leroy Sane fell on deaf ears.
Bayern Technical Director Hasan Salihamidzic is also alleged to have met with the 23-cap Morocco international’s agent Mustapha Nakhli to discuss a transfer, with Ajax demanding €30million (£27.3m) for his signature.
The 26-year-old, who stared under Erik ten Hag in last season’s Champions League on route to the Semi-Finals, recently turned down a move to Sevilla, as he felt the La Liga side were not a step up from where he currently is with Ajax.
“I feel at home here and get to play a lot,” he told Fox Sports. “I think Sevilla is from the same level as Ajax, and I don’t switch Ajax for nothing.
“The right club didn’t make an offer yet, so for now I just stick with Ajax and do my very best on the field.
“I think everybody gets along really well. It’s a great team. We have fun and you shouldn’t give that up for nothing. You shouldn’t leave because of leaving; it has to be something you fully approve.
“Like I always said: it has to be the perfect picture. Everything needs to be right. I won’t leave Ajax until I have that feeling.”
Given the timeframe left of the summer window in England and the interest elsewhere, among other factors, Brands is being realistic about our chances of signing Ziyech to serve as Silva’s new left-footed right-winger.
Everton Insider add that our Director of Football has a range of alternatives lined up should his advances to sign the attacker who was involved in 45 goals across all competitions last season (21 scored, 24 assisted) fall short.
Word that we are again interested in Ziyech has sent fans on Reddit wild, however, after the club were linked with the Moroccan in April with suggestions that we could rival Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea and Leicester City for the 26-year-old.
Here’s how these Blues fans reacted to Everton Insider’s recent claims…
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