Hakim Ziyech never saw it coming. The Morocco international had been preparing as normal to continue his journey with Wydad Athletic Club next season, only to find himself frozen out by the new management at a moment he had not anticipated.
According to the Moroccan website "Al Botola", Ziyech began his preparations for the new campaign alongside the group before being left out of the friendly against Nahdat Zemamra. He was then omitted from the squad travelling to Agadir for the preparatory camp, a decision taken by new club president Brahim El Assri. For a player who believed his stay was a settled matter, it landed as a major shock.
Those steps stunned Ziyech, who had not expected his situation to change once preparations were under way. Relations between the player and the new board grew tense, and he soon found himself training away from the group.
Ziyech then broke his silence. On his Instagram account, he took direct aim at Wydad president Brahim El Assri, with conflicting accounts still swirling over who actually made the call to leave him out.
The fallout spread beyond the pitch. Ziyech enlisted a judicial officer to document his situation inside the Mohamed Benjelloun complex, after being told to remain in Casablanca and train individually.
All this unfolds as Wydad's management push to rearrange the player's financial situation, chiefly the value of his salary. Reports suggest Ziyech was in no mood to alter the terms agreed in his contract, which only complicated matters further.
Some Wydad figures have stepped in to head off an open dispute. They are working to bring the two sides closer and press for a meeting between Ziyech and Brahim El Assri, hunting for a formula that ends the row and preserves the relationship.