da brwin： This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
da pinnacle： Rafael van der Vaart has told Tottenham Hotspur to buy Ajax attacking midfielder Hakim Ziyech next summer, per Studio Voetbal via Voetbal Primeur.
What’s the word?
The Dutchman, who played for Spurs between 2010 and 2012 following a surprise switch from Real Madrid, has recommended the Morocco international to the north London club’s chairman, Daniel Levy.
Ziyech has made 18 appearances in all competitions for Ajax thus far this season, scoring six goals and registering nine assists.
Of course, he scored against Spurs in the Champions League semi-final second leg in Amsterdam in 2018/19, with the Dutch club eventually losing the game 3-2 after Lucas Moura’s hat-trick.
Van der Vaart said: “I really hope he goes to Tottenham Hotspur, and I think so. I sent a message today to Levy.
“I said: get Ziyech after this season. I am convinced that he becomes a sensation in London. And I also wish him that.”
Time may have gone
Ziyech signed a new contract at Ajax in the summer so van der Vaart’s timing couldn’t really be worse.
Per AS, he previously had a €30m (£25.8m) release clause in his contract but the Eredivisie club took steps to remove that when he committed to fresh terms.
Thus, any team, be it Spurs or someone else, will have to fork out a fair amount of cash if they are to land one of last season’s best performers in Europe.
Indeed, he was included in the Champions League Squad of the Season, having scored three times and provided three assists throughout the tournament. Those goals and assists came as part of 21 strikes in all competitions and 24 assists.
Levy had the chance to strike in the summer by triggering that release clause but, instead, he is now facing up to the prospect of having to splash the cash.
If only van der Vaart had sent that text a few months ago.