Hakim Ziyech's loan from Chelsea to Paris Saint-Germain collapsed on transfer deadline day; Ligue 1 club allege Chelsea sent through incorrect paperwork after the terms of an agreement had been finalised; Sky Sports News understand there was an 'unforeseen technical issue' at Chelsea HQ
Friday 3 February 2023 06:14, UK
Chelsea manager Graham Potter says Hakim Ziyech has returned to training and will be available for Friday's game against Fulham after his move to Paris Saint-Germain collapsed on Deadline Day.
Ziyech's loan deal fell through with Ligue 1 unwilling to ratify the transfer following the late submission of documents.
PSG lodged an appeal to the Professional Football League (LFP)'s legal committee, alleging that the Stamford Bridge club had initially sent through the incorrect paperwork after the terms of an agreement had been finalised.
When it was flagged, they claim Chelsea sent the right documents twice but without a signature. When the correct version was received, the deadline had already passed.
Potter said: "He's back in the country. He trained this morning. These stories aren't the first, they won't be the last.
"He's a professional player and understands the situation. He's committed to us and available for the squad against Fulham. He will be an important player for us for the rest of the season."
The Blues splashed a staggering £323m during the January transfer window, including smashing the British transfer record by signing Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez for £106.8m.
The Argentine landed in England on Wednesday but could miss out on the Fulham game this Friday. "We've got to wait and see with the paperwork, to see if he gets the clearance," said Potter.
"I've spoken to him and although my Spanish isn't great and his English isn't great - we needed a translator, but we'll get there. He's an impressive young man. I'm excited to work with him."
Speaking about the difficulties of delivering his playing style to so many new recruits, Potter added: "Coaching is a process and time help that but I've never sat here and said that you need that - it helps.
"[The media] will talk about time and pressure as we go through the days and weeks. I'm just looking forward to working with the players and I'm excited for the second part of the season. I'm happy the window has closed."
The Blues now have a 33-man squad, which poses questions about maintaining harmony among the group. "It's a challenge, but I'm not complaining about it," said Potter.
"It's an exciting test. We've got really good players and it creates healthy competition but I understand there will be frustration as only XI can play.
"We've got lots of important games and we need to improve our results, so it's about being ready to support the team and being ready to play."
Chelsea are only allowed to register a maximum of three new players for the knockout stages of the Champions League, before taking on Borussia Dortmund in the last-16 - but signed eight during the window.
"There will be awkward questions and conversations as that's where we are because only XI can play and certain numbers can be in squads," said Potter.
"So it's about being honest, open, respectful and as transparent as you can. We have to create an environment where you respect players want to play and respect players want to compete and help the team."
Chelsea splashed more on transfers in the winter window than all Premier League clubs spent last January - and more than all clubs in Europe's other top four leagues combined - but Potter has defended Chelsea's approach which has been criticised in some quarters.
He told Sky Sports: "Sometimes people can't see things and that's normal. From our perspective, we can see quite clearly in this window.
"You look at the age of the players, where they are in their careers, a combination of the investment in the transfer fee and salary has made good sense for us and where we're at. We've got a hungry group of players who are ready to help the team now and also grow and grow as the club develops."
So, does the record-breaking outlay increase the pressure on him to deliver success? "The word we have spoken most about in the last four months is 'pressure'. That's not going to change.
"If you spend money, the external noise goes up - I understand that. I've also said spending money is one thing, but you need to align them, make the right decisions and create a culture and team environment. Spending money just won't get you success, it's more than that."
Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk apologised this week after footage showed him using a racial slur in a social media post.
The £88.5m signing used the term while reciting a rap song on TikTok last July and the FA is seeking clarification and observations from Mudryk and his club over when the recording was made, when it was posted online and when it was deleted.
The governing body is able to charge players for discriminatory behaviour away from a football setting under new guidelines issued in 2020.
Potter told Sky Sports: "We've certainly spoken to Misha (Mudryk) and his apology was clear. He's a young guy that's made a mistake and as much as we want to try and think we can all be perfect, the reality of it is we make mistakes.
"Then it's about how you react to them and I think he did that in a good way. Going forward, as a club, we have to be aware of our responsibilities. It's all very well being happy but we have a responsibility here as a club to win matches, perform well, and conduct ourselves in a good way and that's what we're trying to do."
