UPDATE: Achraf Hakimi Set to Join PSG
UPDATE: Thursday, June 24, 2021 – 10:30 ET
Well it appears that the Achraf Hakimi transfer saga is coming to a conclusion. After a week of back-and-forth negotiations between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan, the Moroccan international appears set to join the French club. Hakimi is rumored to have voiced that PSG was his favorite of the two clubs bidding for his skill – the other being Chelsea. According to ESPN, the deal is worth €70 million, with incentives, as was reported by journalist Mohamed Bouhafsi on Friday of last week – see Friday’s update- and Hakimi will be on a five-year deal.
Chalk this transfer down as another one hijacked by the French giants – they swiftly put an end to the Gini Wijnaldum Barca move- and have since swiped Hakimi away from the European champions. Expect Chelsea to continue to work behind the scenes in this transfer window. Strikers Erling Haaland and Harry Kane still appear to be the top priority for manager Thomas Tuchel and owner Roman Abramovich.
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UPDATE: Friday, June 18, 2021 – 1:50 ET
Rumors continue to swirl surrounding Hakimi’s impending departure from Inter Milan and where his likely destination is going to be. Parisian journalist Bouhafsi reported that PSG have offered €70 million plus incentives for the Moroccan international. He said that Chelsea are willing to pay €80 million with no word on whether any Blues defenders will be included in the deal or not. According to Bouhafsi, Hakimi prefers Paris Saint-Germain.
*** This post will be updated if anything further develops. ***
Thursday’s Original Post:
After a contested battle between football giants Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea FC for full-back Achraf Hakimi, it appears that the latter has won the race. According to football journalist Adrian Otíeno, Inter Milan will accept Chelsea’s €60 million bid plus another defender for Hakimi. The London giants have made wing-backs Marcos Alonso and Emerson Palmieri available as well as center-back Andreas Christensen in a cash-and-swap deal. It appears that Inter Milan would like Alonso, but that has yet to be determined.
Hakimi is billed as one of the top right-backs, and possibly the best right wing-back, in the world. The 22-year-old was loaned out in 2018 by Real Madrid to Borussia Dortmund where he announced himself as one of the best at his position in the Bundesliga. Dortmund then sold Hakimi to Inter last year, and it appears that the Moroccan international is poised to join his fourth club in as many years.
The alleged move doesn’t come as a shock, as Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel employs a 3-4-3 formation that asks a lot of his wing-backs. Hakimi would fit seamlessly into the starting XI as the quality of both his attacking and defensive positioning provides more depth and strength to an already stalwart backline for the recently crowned European champions.
Hakimi’s potential addition at Stamford Bridge is certainly a welcomed sight as Tuchel and owner Roman Abramovich continue to push for the signing of uber-talented striker Erling Haaland. This certainly looks to be a very competitive summer transfer window and Chelsea FC will be in the thick of it.
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