Leeds United could be interested in a move for Chelsea forward Hakim Ziyech this summer, according to CBS journalist Ben Jacobs

The lowdown: Illustrious career

Signed from Ajax in 2020 for £33.3million (Sky Sports), Ziyech arrived in the Premier League having already lifted the Dutch Eredivisie title and the Dutch Cup.

Since then, the man who was named the Holland Footballer of the Year in 2018 has added the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup to his trophy cabinet whilst scoring 14 times and providing ten assists in 84 outings for the club.

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Now, as Chelsea hotly pursue Elland Road star Raphinha, it has been suggested that the Yorkshire club are keen on the Morocco international...

The latest: 'Don't be surprised'

Speaking to The Football Terrace (28:07), journalist Jacobs has claimed that Leeds are keen on Ziyech regardless of what happens to Raphinha.

He said: “Don’t be surprised if Chelsea advance their interest if they bring Hakim Ziyech into the equation because my understanding from talking to Leeds sources separate to Raphinha is that Ziyech, should he leave Chelsea, has been a player on their radar.

“So there might be a possibility to do some business with Raphinha coming one way and Ziyech being given to Leeds. Because Leeds don’t just want a chunk of money for Raphinha to the tune of £55 or £60 million potentially, they would love to have a ready-made replacement.

“And they see Ziyech as a viable option and that would remain the case even if Raphinha goes elsewhere.”

The verdict: Without a doubt

Capped on 40 occasions by Morocco and a serial winner, adding a player of Ziyech's calibre to Jesse Marsch's ranks this summer would be a sensational coup for the club.

Predominantly operating from the same right-wing role as Raphinha, as a replacement for the Brazilian the 29-year-old who netted eight goals and provided six assists in 44 appearances across all competitions last season would be among the ideal candidates.

The former Ajax man - who shares a close stylistic likeness with star names such as Paris Saint-Germain's Angel Di Maria, Bayern Munich star Kingsley Coman and AS Roma maestro Lorenzo Pellegrini (Fbref) - earned an impressive 7.09 Sofascore rating last season whilst completing 1.2 successful dribbles and making 1.3 key passes on average per Premier League outing.

Hailed as 'world class' by Tim Cahill following a two-assist display against Sheffield United in 2020, Ziyech certainly possesses all of the creativity required to fill the void potentially left behind by Raphinha at Elland Road and should be considered a top target for Director of Football Victor Orta.