Arsenal and Chelsea monitoring Feyenoord midfielder Gjivai Zechiël

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The Football Faithful

·23 September 2026

Arsenal and Chelsea monitoring Feyenoord midfielder Gjivai Zechiël

Arsenal and Chelsea are keeping tabs on Feyenoord midfielder Gjivai Zechiël after the 22-year-old made an impressive start to the 2026-27 season.

According to CaughtOffside, both Premier League clubs have been monitoring Zechiël ahead of the January transfer window, although there is no indication that either has made an approach for the midfielder.

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Zechiël has quickly established himself as an important figure for Feyenoord after returning from loan spells with Sparta Rotterdam and Utrecht. He has started all seven of the club’s Eredivisie matches this season, registering five goals and four assists.

His form follows a summer in which Feyenoord rejected a €17m offer from Lille, including bonuses. The French club had made several approaches for the midfielder, but Feyenoord were unwilling to sanction his departure for that fee.

Arsenal and Chelsea monitoring Feyenoord midfielder Gjivai Zechiël

The Dutch club’s stance could make a January move difficult. Feyenoord are understood to value Zechiël highly and have little incentive to accept a cut-price offer after his emergence as a regular starter.

His numbers have also strengthened his case. Alongside his nine goal contributions, Zechiël has created 19 chances in the Eredivisie this season and completed 89% of his passes.

The midfielder’s development has also been recognised within Dutch football, with former Feyenoord player Pelle Clement describing Zechiël as a player with strong “football intelligence”.

For Arsenal and Chelsea, the attraction lies in a midfielder who combines mobility and ball progression with an increasingly significant attacking contribution. However, their reported interest remains at the scouting stage, with the January window still several months away.

Feyenoord’s response to Lille’s summer proposal suggests that any Premier League approach would need to meet a considerably higher valuation. A reported €30m valuation has been mentioned, although that figure has not been established as Feyenoord’s formal asking price.

For now, Zechiël’s immediate focus remains on Feyenoord, where his rapid rise has made him one of the players attracting attention ahead of the winter transfer window.