Although he’s yet to pull on a Chelsea shirt in earnest, one of their new signings has already been warned about how physical the Premier League can be.
Hakim Ziyech will officially join the Blues from Ajax in the summer, after agreeing a move earlier in the year, but his former team-mate, Anwar El-Ghazi, has told him what to expect.
MORE: Chelsea looking towards €40m Juventus star to solve potential problem in key area
“You just have to think about your muscles with so many games,” El Ghazi told Bureau Sport and cited by the Daily Express.
“I thought I was big and heavy, but sometimes you run into players and you think ‘is that a wall?’
“But Ziyech is going to do well at Chelsea. Hundred per cent.”
Given Ziyech’s incredible skill set, which has often been on show in the Champions League, he’s bound to become a target for defenders.
However, he’s shown in the premier European tournament that he’s more than capable of handling himself.
Quick and nimble on his feet, Ziyech can lead opponents a merry dance for the most part, and is sure to quickly become a fan favourite at Stamford Bridge.
As long as he’s afforded appropriate protection by officials and stays clear of injury, he’ll be more of a worry for opponents than they are for him.