Hakim Ziyech’s Final Countdown: Can Morocco’s Wizard Reclaim His Spot Before AFCON 2025?

Update on Hakim Ziyech: The Clock Is Ticking

Hakim Ziyech, the 32-year-old Moroccan star, faces a critical crossroads as the summer transfer window closes and he remains unsigned. With the European window officially closed on September 1, 2025, the free agent is determined to land a club before the Africa Cup of Nations, hosted by Morocco from December 21, 2025 to January 18, 2026.

His stint at Al-Duhail in Qatar ended abruptly in May 2025, a mere five months after joining in January, when the contract was terminated by mutual consent despite a lucrative salary reportedly around 50 million dirhams per year.

During his short spell with Al-Duhail, Ziyech appeared in 13 matches, scoring one goal and providing one assist. Those modest figures reflect the difficulties he faced adapting to the Qatari league and help explain his decision to seek a renewed European challenge.

Clear stance from the coach

Morocco’s head coach Walid Regragui set out his position in a press conference in August 2025. He stated that Ziyech remains within the expanded national-team squad but cannot be called up while he is unattached to a club, given the strong competition for places ahead of AFCON.

The coach stressed that the exclusion is not disciplinary or personal; it is a purely footballing matter tied to competition and match readiness. This stance adds pressure on Ziyech to find a club soon to reclaim his role in the Atlas Lions’ lineup.

European clubs circle, but no final decision

Speculation links Ziyech with several European clubs. In Spain, Sevilla and Elche have reportedly opened talks with offers for a one-year deal, with potential extensions. In the Netherlands, reports connected him with PSV Eindhoven, especially as they seek to fill gaps amid injuries, and the possibility of reuniting with Ajax-era mentor Peter Bosz adds another layer of intrigue to the rumor mill.

The road back to the top

Ziyech knows that securing a European club is not just a professional step but also a passport back to the Morocco national team and a run at AFCON on home soil. He has long described this dream as monumental for achieving Africa’s coveted title, a trophy Morocco has chased for decades.

Beyond simply finding a club, the challenge is to regain match rhythm and the competitive edge he enjoyed during his Ajax days, after difficult stints with Galatasaray and Al-Duhail. The national team’s captaincy lineage now leans on younger stars like Achraf Hakimi, making Ziyech’s return all the more pivotal.

Hope fades slowly but surely

Insiders point to the psychological strain of extended absence from national-team camps, intensifying the pressure on him to rejoin a squad that is chasing AFCON glory. Yet there remains a potential window for free agents as leagues outside the traditional transfer windows occasionally welcome signings under special circumstances.

Time is running out for Hakim Ziyech, but history has shown that the best comebacks often emerge from the deepest valleys. Will the former Ajax talisman stage a remarkable revival and steer Morocco toward AFCON success?

Punchline 1: If patience were a football club, Ziyech would be captain, but the board would still be asking for the paperwork—on a breakaway from reality, obviously.

Punchline 2: They say good things come to those who wait; in Ziyech’s case, good contracts also come to those who don’t get flagged as inactive on the transfer radar. Stay tuned, because the saga is just warming up.