Real Madrid have reportedly accepted an offer of £36.3 million for the sale of Moroccan full-back Achraf Hakimi, who was also wanted by Chelsea.
According to reputed Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano (h/t The Sun), Inter Milan are on the verge of signing Chelsea target Achraf Hakimi from Real Madrid. The Spanish heavyweights have reportedly accepted a £36.3 million bid from the Nerazzurri.
Hakimi is a product of the Real Madrid academy. The Moroccan made his first-team debut back in 2017, but the lack of clear pathway into the team saw him join Borussia Dortmund on a two-year loan deal. During his time with the Bundesliga heavyweights, Hakimi has enhanced his reputation, becoming one of the most sought-after defenders in Europe.
The 2019/20 campaign saw the 21-year-old rack up nine goals and ten assists in 44 matches across all competitions for Dortmund. This has seen him emerge as a target for some of the biggest clubs in Europe, with Chelsea being one of the clubs keen on the full-back.
It is no secret that Frank Lampard is looking for a new left-back heading into the summer window, having been left unimpressed by the current options – Marcos Alonso and Emerson Palmieri. And while Hakimi is primarily a right-back, he is equally effective on the left, which made him an appealing target for the Blues.
Along with Chelsea, Manchester City too were interested in the Real Madrid man, while Dortmund themselves were hoping to sign him on a permanent basis. However, it seems like Inter Milan have beaten all the interested parties to secure the signing of the 21-year-old, with Real Madrid having accepted their £36.3 million bid.
Achraf Hakimi is really, really close to Inter. The agreement is going to be finalized soon between Inter and Real Madrid for €40M + add ons. Hakimi has already accepted to sign a five year contract with Inter. ??? #transfers @SkySportsNews
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 26, 2020
Under Antonio Conte, the Nerazzurri have shown great ambition in the transfer market, having signed the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Christian Eriksen in the last two windows. Given that the Italian has had to make do with an ageing wing-back duo of Antonio Candreva and Ashley Young, it makes sense for the club to bring in a player of Hakimi’s profile.
It does seem strange that Real Madrid are willing to offload Hakimi, given that they have little depth at right-back beyond Dani Carvajal. Nevertheless, should the reports turn out to be true, Inter will have pulled off quite the coup. The 21-year-old Moroccan would be an ideal fit in the system that Conte employs at Inter Milan.
