Dutch football commentator Jan Roelfs has compared Chelsea’s new signing Hakim Ziyech with Ajax greats including Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten.
On Saturday, Ajax announced the 27-year-old as their player of the season for the third year in a row.
He managed nine goals and 18 assists across all competitions under Erik Ten Haag this season, before the Eredivisie made the decision to end the season early due to the pandemic.
Ziyech is without a doubt one of the best players to wear the Ajax shirt in the past decade. But Dutch commentator Roelfs has gone even further, comparing the Morroco international to the likes of Cruyff, Van Basten and Dennis Bergkamp.
Roelfs told NOS’s Football podcast: “Ziyech will not be lost in England, he has so much quality.
“When I make a list of Ajax players, I think of Johan Cruyff, Marco van Basten, Dennis Bergkamp and Hakim Ziyech, in that order. I really think he is close to that as a stylist.
“I go to the stadium for someone like Ziyech – that is an important condition for me. There are a few football players like that.”
Ziyech is expected to join Frank Lampard’s squad on July 1, although he would need to wait until the next season starts before being officially registered as a Chelsea player.
Chelsea announced the pre-transfer agreement back in February and reportedly paid €40million (£33m) for the play-maker.