Ziyech and Ounahi urged to seek January transfer by Morocco manager

Cameron Smith

• 24 Dec 2022 11:22 GMT
• 3 min read

Morocco World Cup stars Hakim Ziyech and Azzedine Ounahi have been told to reap their rewards of their form in Qatar and seek a January move away by their international manager Walid Regragui.

Ziyech and Ounahi were two of Morocco's key players as they became the first African nation to ever reach the World Cup semi-final stage. They were eventually knocked out by France before losing 2-1 to Croatia in the third-place play-off.

Both players have been linked with transfers away in January, with game time an issue for Ziyech at Chelsea, while Ounahi's form for his country is expected to lead to a move away from Angers, who are currently rock bottom in Ligue 1.

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Ounahi received praise from Jose Mourinho for his performances at the tournament, while Chelsea boss Graham Potter has admitted that he was impressed with how Ziyech played in Qatar. But, it remains to be seen if the Blues head coach will trust him with a starting berth upon the return of the Premier League.

In his pre-match press conference ahead of their home fixture against AFC Bournemouth, Potter told Ziyech to "be patient" and wait for a chance to impress in the starting XI at Stamford Bridge.

However, with the winter window set to open on January 1, Potter will have just one month to convince Ziyech that staying at the club is the best option for him at 29 years old.

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What has the Morocco manager said?

Morocco's record-breaking World Cup manager Walid Regragui has spoken about the transfer status of his international players and made his feelings clear.

He told Viola News: “[Selim] Amallah and [Azzedine] Ounahi will surely find better clubs and the same for Ziyech, who has shown what he can do, he deserves to be a starter in Chelsea.”

Napoli, Inter Milan, Leicester City, Leeds United and FC Barcelona have all been linked with a move for Ounahi, while AC Milan appeared the most likely destination for Ziyech in the summer.

Ounahi, 22, looks set to leave Angers if the right offer comes in for him in January; as for Ziyech, it will ultimately come down to how often he's used by Potter before the window closes.