Thomas Tuchel's new Ousmane Dembele has risen to Chelsea challenge amid £33m Barcelona question

On Sunday night, Ousmane Dembele lit up the El Classico with a game-changing display for Barcelona; links to Chelsea were certain to reemerge. The winger's previous history with Thomas Tuchel, the fact he is a free agent this summer and Chelsea's recent attacking struggles make for a reasoned connection.

Given the sheer plethora of options available to Tuchel, the thought of a new addition this summer would surely trigger a major departure from Stamford Bridge. Several names have been mentioned as possible exits. Still, one that should be left out of the conversation is Hakim Ziyech.

Ziyech has quickly become one of the Blues' most reliable names since the new year. Quickly stepping above other struggling attackers to gain consistent minutes and silence doubts over his future in west London. His latest goal against Middlesbrough optimised the shift in confidence. Cutting inside onto his favoured left outside the box and ferociously drilling a shot beyond the reach of Joe Lumley.

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This was the Hakim Ziyech Chelsea thought they were buying in 2020. The opening three months of 2022 has seen the Moroccan reach his most consistent streak for Chelsea, offering moments of genius to alter the course of games. His run of three consecutive Premier League goals against Brighton, Spurs and Crystal Palace won Chelsea seven points. The opener against Spurs optimised the sense of artistry that made the club pursue his signature at Ajax.

It feels ironic that Dembele plays for the club Ziyech was linked to back in December. During