Now this? Sporting flop blocks Hakim Ziyech's Botafogo move | OneFootball

Morocco international Hakim Ziyech came within a whisker of being announced as Botafogo’s new signing in this transfer window. The gifted left-footer had already agreed everything with the board of the Brazilian club, even going so far as to buy plane tickets and record the official video.

However, the transfer collapsed at the decisive moment due to the player’s concerns about the quality of the pitches in Brazil. Worried about the physical impact at the final stage of his career, the forward sought detailed information about the reality of local football before travelling to Rio de Janeiro.

The turning point in the deal came after a conversation withZakaria Labyad, a former Sporting player. The current Corinthians midfielder described the serious physical problems he has suffered in the country, where he has already sustained a cruciate ligament rupture and a meniscus injury this season.

. The footballer also consulted the experienced Alex Telles and Danilo Pereira, but the warnings about the wear and tear caused by Brazilian pitches ultimately proved decisive in halting the agreement.

In this way, Labyad’s influential opinion - who was unsuccessful at Sporting - brought down the South American club’s major signing of this transfer window. Hakim Ziyech chose to cancel the trip he had scheduled to Brazil and decided to continue playing in his home country with Wydad Casablanca.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.