Hakim Ziyech's ill-fated journey at Chelsea has taken another disappointing turn, as his much-anticipated move to the Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr has fallen through due to a knee issue detected during his medical examination.
The Moroccan midfielder has endured a tumultuous period at Stamford Bridge since joining the Blues from Ajax, and he has been eager to revive his career elsewhere.
His first attempt to secure an exit came in January when a potential move to PSG was botched by administrative errors, resulting in the deal collapsing and leaving Ziyech stranded.
Throughout the summer, it seemed increasingly likely that Ziyech would follow in the footsteps of his teammates N'Golo Kante, Edouard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly to the Saudi Pro League.
Al-Nassr offered him a lucrative offer to join forces with Cristiano Ronaldo, who moved to the league as last season's runners-up.
However, the much-anticipated transfer has now been rendered null and void, as Ziyech failed his medical exam with the Knights of Najd, as initially reported on Saudi news sites.
The Moroccan international was expected to complete a 17 million pound ($21.5 million) move to Saudi Arabia this summer, but his failed medical examination has put a halt to the transfer, leaving Ziyech stranded at Stamford Bridge.
Interestingly, the results of the medical tests coincided with Al-Nassr's agreement with Inter Milan for the acquisition of midfielder Marcelo Brozovic, further dampening Ziyech's hopes of securing an exit.
This marks the second failed exit in six months for Ziyech, who will not be joining the Croatian at Al-Awwal Park.
The Dutch-born playmaker's inability to secure a move away from Chelsea has been disappointing, as he has struggled to live up to expectations since his 37 million pound move from Ajax in 2020.
With just 14 goals to his name during his time in London, Ziyech failed to find the back of the net in the previous campaign.
Consequently, there is a growing consensus that Ziyech needs to leave Chelsea to rejuvenate his career.
Former Blues star Frank Leboeuf expressed his belief in Ziyech's need for a fresh start back in March, encouraging him to seek opportunities elsewhere.
"Definitely Ziyech," he asserted when asked about players who should leave Chelsea this summer. "The guy is not happy, and he wants to work. Whenever he plays for Morocco, he's the best player in the world. But every time he plays for Chelsea, he feels sad and lost. So I wish him to go somewhere else where he can show the world he's still the Ziyech we saw when he played for Ajax."
