English Premier League
Hakim Ziyech offered move to Libyan club as Wydad dispute could go to Fifa
Hakim Ziyech has received a “significant” financial offer from Libyan club Al-Ittihad as uncertainty over his future at Wydad intensifies.
The club has made contact with the Morocco international after a worsening dispute with Wydad, with the proposed move potentially providing a way out of the stand-off between Ziyech and club president Ibrahim Al-Asri.
According to a report by Africa Foot, Al-Ittihad are prepared to move quickly in negotiations and have offered attractive financial terms to persuade Ziyech to join them.
No final decision has been made over the player’s future, however, as discussions about his contractual position with Wydad remain unresolved.
The relationship between Ziyech and the Moroccan club has deteriorated in recent weeks amid disagreements over financial, sporting and disciplinary matters. The two sides have held several meetings in an attempt to settle the dispute, but those discussions have failed to bring their positions closer.
The situation escalated after Ziyech published a message on social media in which he accused Al-Asri of lying.
Wydad want to bring the dispute to an end, but Ziyech is insisting on receiving what he believes he is owed. If no agreement can be reached, the player may refer the matter to world governing body Fifa, according to the same report.
The latest development follows Ziyech’s exclusion from Wydad’s training camp in Agadir by the coaching staff led by Portuguese manager Paulo Sergio. Ziyech believes the decision was driven by Al-Asri after the player refused to accept a reduction in his salary.
The disagreement has left the 32-year-old searching for a solution to the uncertainty surrounding his position. Reports had recently indicated that Ziyech had attracted interest from an Arab club, and Al-Ittihad’s approach now offers a possible route away from his current difficulties.
However, the offer does not yet represent a completed transfer. Ziyech’s contractual situation with Wydad still needs to be addressed, while the player and club remain divided over the issues that have caused the dispute.
Ziyech joined Wydad amid significant attention but his future has become increasingly unclear following the financial and sporting disagreements. The club’s desire to resolve the matter has so far not been matched by an agreement, with the player maintaining his position over his rights.
A move to Al-Ittihad would depend on further negotiations and on the outstanding issues between Ziyech and Wydad being settled. Until then, the possibility of a Fifa complaint remains open, while the Libyan club’s offer has added another option to a dispute that has yet to reach a conclusion.