Barcelona want Chelsea forward who could leave on loan

Chelsea are flying high at the top of the Premier League with Thomas Tuchel’s powerhouse squad currently in pole position as they aim to win a first league title since 2017.

But the German’s strength in depth has meant that some of the top talent he has to choose from have had to wait patiently for their opportunities.

One of those is Hakim Ziyech who, due to injury and his teammates’ good form, has started just two Premier League games this season.

The Morocco international has had a stop-start career since arriving at the club in the summer of 2020 as he also missed a chunk of his first campaign due to injury.

But, according to Spanish outlet Sport, Ziyech could be handed a new challenge which could end a frustrating spell at Stamford Bridge.

Ziyech has had limited game time at Chelsea.

The report states that the forward is on a list of January transfer targets for FC Barcelona as new boss Xavi looks to strengthen his squad.

It’s thought that Chelsea could be willing to do a deal with the financially-stricken Catalan club by allowing Ziyech to leave on loan with an option to buy.

The 28-year-old made his name at Ajax where he scored 49 times in 165 matches between 2016-2020.

Barcelona are aiming to bolster their forward line after losing Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann over the summer, while Sergio Aguero is currently sidelined with a potential heart condition.

This has put much of the goalscoring responsibility on Memphis Depay and 19-year-old Ansu Fati.