Manchester United are leading the race to sign Moroccan star Hakim Ziyech in January, according to reports in Italy.
Calcio Meracto claims that the Red Devils have approached Chelsea over the possibility of signing the winger in recent days.
AC Milan are interested in the player and have been in contact since the summer, but accept that they are not as attractive a proposition as United.
Man United were also linked with Ziyech in the summer, however the club ended up signing Antony from Ajax in a deal worth around £85m.
The Brazilian has performed well in his early life at Old Trafford, but Erik ten Hag has no other attacking options with his left foot.
That could make Ziyech a low-cost solution to the lack of depth on the right flank, as the Dutchman prefers to play reverse wingers.
At 29 years old and after not having impressed during his time at Chelsea, the Moroccan could be available for just 17 million euros, the value that Transfermarkt has given him.
Ziyech put in an incredible performance for his country’s World Cup group stage match on Sunday as Morocco pulled off a shock victory over Belgium in Qatar.
While his lack of pace has been a concern during his time in the Premier League, with the freedom of the international stage he provided a timely reminder of just how dangerous his left foot can be.
Ziyech gave Leicester City’s Timothy Castagne a torrid moment with his tricks and provided a fine assist for Morocco’s second goal. He was also diligent in his defensive duties when his team frustrated the Belgians.
Needless to say, the Chelsea winger would hardly be a signing to get the pulses of United fans racing.
But as someone who provides the depth needed to handle the hectic schedule the club will soon face, there may not be many better options.
