Ajax are confident that they can overcome any issues arising over the sale of Hakim Ziyech to Chelsea caused by the extension of the Eredivisie season because of the coronavirus crisis.
Reports have suggested that the deal, worth in the region of £38million, could be in jeopardy because of the league season running into the period in which the winger would be joining the Premier League giants.
But Sons of the Gods chief executive officer Edwin van der Sar believes that the contract can be ratified and has a team of special advisors in place to help the club overcome any issues that may arise.
The news comes as the Premier League, English Football League and Football Association announced that the suspension of all domestic football will be extended to 30 April (at the earliest) because of the Covid-19 outbreak.
But it is said the English leagues are committed to ensuring the 2019-20 campaign is completed after changing an FA law to allow the season to be extended indefinitely past the previous 1 June deadline.
Frank Lampard and the Blues announced that they had snared their man from the Amsterdam powerhouse in the January transfer window. And Van der Sar has already included the transfer fee into the club’s budget for the new campaign, with some of the money set to be handed back to head coach Erik ten Hag for recruitment to bolster his squad.
Former Manchester United keeper van der Sar said:
“A task force will be set up, in which all the difficult matters will be covered. All the possibilities and options will be discussed there. If you can’t finish before June 30, there will be an opportunity there to make certain adjustments that no one thought possible. We are all trying to restart the leagues at the same time, but if some seasons run longer than others, we are looking at what to do with these difficult matters, which nobody ever thought would be necessary to review.”
On penning his deal with the Stamford Bridge outfit, Ziyech told the London outfit’s official website:
“I am delighted and proud to have signed for such a huge club as Chelsea. I am looking forward to next season and hope we can achieve great things together.”
Meanwhile, although Ziyech will be a big loss to Ajax, some pundits are suggesting that the club have a ready-made replacement already in their ranks in the shape of teen sensation Naci Unuvar. The 16-year-old starlet has already turned out for the first team — and managed to score into the bargain — and it is said that he is expected to step up and play a pivotal role in the side during the 2020-21 campaign.