“I’m a big fan” – Tottenham urged to solve their problems by signing Chelsea star

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Former Tottenham attacking midfielder Rafael van der Vaart has made it clear he thinks Chelsea misfit Hakim Ziyech could be precisely the kind of player his former club Spurs need at the moment.

The Morocco international was superb in his time at Ajax, but just hasn’t quite settled at Stamford Bridge, though it seems Van der Vaart still rates him highly and thinks he’d give Tottenham the creativity they’re currently lacking.

Van der Vaart exclusively told Ladbrokes: Fanzone that Ziyech seems ideal given his qualities and his current situation at Chelsea, where he is surely unhappy due to a lack of playing time.

“There’s a few missing links for me, I think,” the Dutchman said. “I’ve always said they’re missing a classic number 10. The midfield, with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Rodrigo Bentancur – when he is fit – is solid – but they’re missing a player who can pick up the ball between the lines, make space, turn, run at defenders and get the ball to Sonny [Heung-min Son] and Harry Kane.
“Harry has to play that role himself; dropping deep to get the ball, feed it out, then try to get into the box to get onto the end of things. It’s too much for him; he’s a striker, he has to stay on the shoulder of defenders and score goals… that’s his game.
“They’re missing something in that number 10 area, and I think the answer is Hakim Ziyech. He’s not happy at Chelsea, and I’m a big fan of his. If Tottenham were to bring him in, their problems are solved; I really don’t think they need much more.”

It will be interesting to see if Spurs feel the same about Ziyech, while it’s also worth noting that Chelsea will surely not be keen to sell the 29-year-old to a Premier League rival.

Van der Vaart has a point, however, about a creative player needed to take the pressure off Harry Kane to drop deep and try to be a number ten as well as a goal poacher.

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