Chelsea's Hakim Ziyech was seen at a party in Moscow over the weekend with former Ajax team-mate Quincy Promes, who was recently charged with allegedly smuggling £65million worth of cocaine into the Netherlands.
According to The Guardian's Pjotr Sauer, Ziyech jetted out to the Russian capital to attend a party organised by betting company Winline, despite the country's ongoing war with Ukraine.
The Chelsea winger, who looks set to leave Stamford Bridge this summer, posed alongside Promes at the event in a photo shared on his old colleague's Instagram story.
It comes just one week after Dutch prosecutors announced that Promes has been charged over allegedly smuggling 1,370 kilograms of cocaine into the country.
The 31-year-old is said to have helped import two cocaine batches of around 650kg and 713kg, both of which were intercepted in Antwerp in January 2020, as reported by the Dutch newspaper NOS.
A preliminary hearing was believed to be taking place on Monday, with Promes facing a lengthy spell behind bars.
The forward, who has spent the last two years in Russia with Spartak Moscow, is also facing a charge of aggravated assault after he was accused of injuring a cousin in the knee with a knife.
The fight occurred during a family event in Amsterdam in July 2020, with the Dutch Public Prosecutor’s Office requesting a two-year prison sentence in March.
Promes had initially been charged with attempted murder, but the judge deemed there was no evidence to prove attempted murder or attempted manslaughter.
As a result, Ziyech's appearance at the event with his former team-mate amid his impending charges has sparked controversy on social media.
A number of Ukraine fans have also taken to Twitter to blast the Morocco international for heading to Moscow despite Russia's invasion of their country last year.
Ziyech and Promes played together for one season at Ajax before the former sealed a move to Chelsea in the summer of 2020.
He has remained at Stamford Bridge ever since, scoring 14 goals in 107 games, but looks likely to leave in the summer after falling out of favour this season.
