Hakim Ziyech will join Chelsea from Dutch champions Ajax this summer in a 40 million-euro ($43.4 million) deal, the two clubs confirmed on Thursday.
The announcement ends days of speculation over the future of the 26-year-old attacking midfielder, a Moroccan international.
“Ajax and Chelsea have reached an agreement for the transfer of Hakim Ziyech. The player will join the Premier League club on July 1st 2020 and will finish the season in Amsterdam,” the Eredivisie champions said in a statement.
“The clubs have agreed a deal of €40 million euros. This sum could potentially increase to a maximum of €44 million, with variable factors.”
Chelsea confirmed the deal, praising Dutch-born Ziyech as a “prolific scorer throughout his career.”
“Ziyech is a left-footed attacker who is comfortable playing off the right flank and coming inside, as he has often done in recent years to such devastating effect for Ajax, or on the left to attack with width and deliver into the box,” Chelsea said.
The London-based side added: “The move is subject to the player agreeing personal terms and he will remain at the Dutch club for the rest of this season.”
Ziyech joined Ajax in 2016 from fellow Eredivisie club FC Twente for a fee of 11 million euros, and has now scored 49 goals in 160 appearances for Ajax.
His contract at Ajax was due to run until June 2022.
