Ajax manager Erik ten Hag has confirmed Chelsea are set to sign Hakim Ziyech.
Frank Lampard identified Ziyech as one of his top targets in January and is now set to bring the Morocco international to Stamford Bridge at the end of the season.
Chelsea have reportedly agreed a £38million deal for the 26-year-old, who has made over 150 appearances for Ajax since signing from FC Twente in 2016.
Ziyech starred in the Dutch club’s impressive run to the Champions League semi-final last season and Ten Hag admits he has been braced for his departure for some time.
Speaking ahead of Ajax’s KNVB Cup clash against Vitesse Arnhem on Wednesday, he told Fox Sports: ‘Ziyech to Chelsea? A transfer was coming, we expected it to happen.
‘And I actually already expected this one or two years earlier. And each time it was: “Wow, he stayed again”.
‘We are just happy that we will still have him until the end of the season.’
Having failed to sign a single player in either of the last two transfer windows, Chelsea are expected to hand Lampard a transfer kitty of more than £150m to spend this summer.
The Blues legend wants to bring at least four new players to Stamford Bridge, with Ziyech potentially joined by a striker, a left-back and a central defender.
Chelsea are currently fourth in the Premier League table and face Manchester United on Monday night.
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