Manchester Untited were interested in new Chelsea signing Ziyech

 

Manchester United were monitoring Hakim Ziyech before Chelsea pulled off a shock move for the Ajax sensation, claims the London Evening Standard.

 

Ziyech will join Chelsea at the end of the season after Frank Lampard's side completed a deal worth as much as £36.7m for the Morocco international on Wednesday.

 

Chelsea tried to sign Ziyech in January and it has now emerged the 26-year-old was on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's list of transfer targets.

 

However, United decided to cool their interest in Ziyech in order to prioritise moves for the likes of Jadon Sancho and Jack Grealish in the summer.

 

Solskjaer is only interested in landing his first choice transfer targets and Sancho has been at the very top of his wish list since the end of last season.

 

Borussia Dortmund are expected to cash in on Sancho this summer and United lead the chasing pack for his signature with a Premier League return expected for the teenager.

 

 

Chelsea's decision to sign Ziyech would suggest they are no longer in the race for Sancho, but Liverpool and former club Manchester City remain interested.

 

Ziyech only signed a new deal with Ajax at the start of the season and in doing so removed a £26m release clause in his old deal.

 

Nevertheless, Chelsea have managed to secure his services for barely anything more than that, ahead of what promises to be a very busy summer for the Frank Lampard's side.

 

Ziyech is currently the highest WhoScored rated player in the Eredivisie this season and has finished each of the previous three campaigns as the laegue's top rated player.