Tottenham face DD disappoint on £30m target over strained club relations

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Chelsea will not let Tottenham Hotspur sign Hakim Ziyech on loan during deadline day with the sides still sharing a strained relationship, despite Todd Boehly’s recent £4.25bn buyout.

Chelsea will not loan Hakim Ziyech to Tottenham as club relations still strained

According to Sky Sports, Tottenham Hotspur now face deadline day disappointment over a last-gasp move to sign Hakim Ziyech, as Chelsea will not let the Morocco maestro move on loan from west to north London and strengthen a direct rival for Premier League positions.

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The Blues hierarchy are loath to weaken Thomas Tuchel’s side, whilst helping their former manager Antonio Conte strengthen late on. Spurs can also only afford to secure loan deals on deadline day this Thursday, which threatens to block Ziyech heading across the capital.

Part of Chelsea’s resistance to Tottenham’s advances to sign Ziyech emanate from the still strained relations between the London rivals. Todd Boehly buying the Blues for £4.25bn in May from Roman Abramovich did not pave over the cracks that had emerged in past years.

So, Stamford Bridge chiefs remain reluctant to do any business with Spurs, all the while the teams fight for the top-spots in the Premier League table. Tottenham entered deadline day in third after a 1-1 draw with West Ham United, whilst Chelsea rank ninth after five games.

Ziyech could be left out in the cold after Ajax return chances evaporated

Reports by Algemeen Dagblad had cited Ziyech as an option for Tottenham to try and sign from Chelsea before Thursday’s deadline. But 90min soon followed the claims by citing an asking price of £30m, along with a rival approach from the playmaker’s former side, Ajax.

Tottenham would have taken some degree of optimism from Ajax failing to agree terms to re-sign the 29-year-old before the Dutch market slammed shut this Wednesday. But Spurs managing director Fabio Paratici has an almost impossible job of negotiating with Chelsea.

So, Ziyech will hope to see either Chelsea’s reluctance to let Tottenham sign their players disappear before the deadline, or Tuchel offer him a path back into his regular starting XI. The German gave the 40-cap star his first start of the season at Southampton on Tuesday.