AJAX star Hakim Ziyech has shown Arsenal what they’re missing after laying on an astonishing 20 assists this year already.
The Moroccan revealed last season that it was his dream to play for the Gunners but the north London club opted against pursuing the midfielder.
Ajax sporting director Marc Overmars confirmed Ziyech would be allowed to leave in the summer, and he carried a paltry £25million release clause in his contract.
Arsenal instead opted to plump a club record £72m on Nicolas Pepe who has since struggled to live up to the hype with just three goals in all competitions.
Ziyech meanwhile, is on track to win Ajax’s club’s Player of the Year award for the third consecutive campaign and penned a new contract at the Johan Cruijff ArenA after a sensational start to the season.
The 26-year-old has already mustered 20 assists by December, only four less than he managed for the Dutch giants in the entirety of the last, in which the Amsterdam outfit won the double and reached the Champions League semi-finals.
Unbeaten Ajax are already leading the Eredivise by six points, with Ziyech notching 12 assists in just 14 league games.
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He also provided three in one game as Erik ten Hag’s side earned a memorable 4-4 draw with Chelsea marred by red cards and own goals.
Ziyech has only failed to register a goal or an assist in five of the 24 games he’s played for Ajax this season.
In contrast, Arsenal’s £350,000-a-week star Mesut Ozil, who beat Eric Cantona’s Premier League assist record last year, has only managed to set up one goal for a teammate this term.
The German midfielder has featured for the Gunners eight times with his sole contribution coming in the thrilling 5-5 penalty shootout defeat to Liverpool in the League Cup.
Incredibly, Ziyech’s overall assists tally is almost double the combined outputs of Ozil, Pepe, Buyako Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and Joe Willock.
Arsenal fans will now be cursing their luck with the Dutch-born Moroccan admitting his desire to play for the club in an interview in 2017.
He told Ajax TV: “Well, I have two clubs. They are Arsenal and Barcelona. That is my ultimate dream.”
And speaking on whether he has a footballing idol, he said: “Yes, I actually do have one. [Mesut] Ozil.”
When then-teammate Justin Kluivert joked if he is better than him, Ziyech replied: “No, I’m not even close to Ozil’s level.”
Ajax’s Hakim Ziyech already has 20 assists to his name in 2019/20Credit: Getty – Contributor
Ajax star Hakim Ziyech wants to join Arsenal but skint Gunners will need to find £25m for playmaker
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
