Hakim Ziyech’s spell at Wydad Casablanca has effectively ended amid a dispute over salary, training conditions and club decisions, with the club seeking to cut his wages, an offer he rejected.
The main flashpoint has been Ziyech’s salary, which the club reportedly considers too high as it looks to restructure its wage bill before the new season. He has refused to accept reduced terms from those agreed upon his arrival, and some reports have referenced unpaid wages as part of the dispute. Wydad’s leadership has reportedly explored a transfer, contract buyout or mutual termination as possible exits.
On the sporting side, Ziyech was left out of a match against Renaissance Zemamra, with coach Paulo Sérgio Brito reportedly describing the decision as one imposed by club presidency. He was also excluded from the preseason training camp in Agadir and instead told to remain in Casablanca to follow an individual program. This is a notable turn for a player long regarded as a skillful playmaker and creative force, whose talents seem at odds with his current marginalization.
Ziyech has reportedly criticized training conditions, citing the lack of a natural grass pitch, no physical trainer, and missing physiotherapy and medical staff. He is said to have voiced frustrations in a team WhatsApp group, according to press sources.
The situation escalated publicly when Ziyech spoke out on Instagram, criticizing how his case was being handled and directly naming club official Ibrahim El Asri. A bailiff was reportedly brought to the training complex to document conditions, a report that could later serve as evidence in a contractual dispute, though no formal legal proceedings have been confirmed.
Wydad has presented the exclusion as a purely technical decision, while sources suggest the club wants to part ways with Ziyech before the season officially resumes.
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