Hakim Ziyech signs for Botafogo until 2028

Hakim Ziyech has signed for Botafogo until the end of 2028, the Rio club confirmed on their social media channels,

Left Wydad after rescinding his contract there, arriving in Rio as a free agent. He will wear the number 22 shirt but is not yet fit: Botafogo say he touched down still carrying an injury and expect him to need around two weeks of treatment and training at the Lonier complex before he is ready to play.

At Wydad, Ziyech made 16 appearances across all competitions, scoring nine goals and adding two assists. His route to Botafogo takes in Ajax, Chelsea and Galatasaray, and he was part of the Chelsea side that won the Champions League in 2020/21, though he did not feature in the final against Manchester City. He also played at two World Cups for Morocco, Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022, starring in the run to the semi-finals four years ago, though he was left out of the squad for the most recent tournament.

Brazilian outlets have made much of the arrival. UOL led with "Champions League winner Ziyech arrives in Rio to strengthen Botafogo", while Globo Esporte framed him as the marquee name of the transfer window, filling the left-wing role the club's coaching staff had wanted to address. Ziyech himself told reporters on landing:

Botafogo currently sit 14th in the Brazilian championship with 31 points, and have already been eliminated from both the Copa Libertadores and the Copa do Brasil this year, leaving the league as Ziyech's immediate focus. The club had already strengthened this window with the signing of forward Danilo, formerly of Ajax and Twente.

If the two-week recovery timeline holds, Ziyech could be in contention for Botafogo within the month, giving a struggling league campaign a familiar face with Champions League and World Cup pedigree to call on down the stretch.