Chelsea will have to fork out well over €60 million in order to attain the services of Inter Milan right-back Achraf Hakimi this summer.
According to Gianluca Di Marzio, Inter Milan are determined to keep hold of Achraf Hakimi and will not entertain any offers in the region of €60 million. It appears the newly crowned Italian champions are only holding out for a “mind-boggling” offer, if any club is to prise away the gifted right-back from the Serie A champions this summer.
Chelsea, joined by Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, are among the clubs interested in the services of Hakimi, who has enjoyed a splendid debut season in the Serie A, after joining Inter in a €45 million move from Real Madrid last summer.
A product of La Fabrica youth academy, Hakimi has been involved in a total of 17 league goals in 37 league matches, becoming one of Inter’s main creative assets. His pace and attacking prowess have bombarded the defences of his Italian oppositions, much like how it used to be in the Bundesliga, during his two-year loan spell at Borussia Dortmund.
Chelsea, meanwhile, are on the hunt for reinforcements on the right flank this summer. It appears Thomas Tuchel is not quite faithful to Reece James while Cesar Azpilicueta is nearing the final phase of his career.
The addition of someone like Hakimi could go a long way in sorting the right wing-back position for years at Chelsea. The Moroccan international has already shown what he is capable of, during his time at Bundesliga and Serie A, and has what it takes to thrive in the Premier League.
From a tactical perspective, Hakimi should settle in well in Tuchel’s three-man backline. He could operate as a right wing-back, providing support to the right-sided winger – a strategy that was successful at Dortmund, where the 22-year-old built a formidable attacking partnership with Jadon Sancho – another Chelsea target.
Inter, though, are determined to keep hold of their prized asset this summer. Interested parties may even have to fork out as much as €80 million to secure his services, potentially forcing Chelsea to scour for alternatives in the market.
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The Blues have already been heavily linked with a move for several defenders including Maxence Lacroix while Lucas Vazquez is a potential alternative for Hakimi for the right wing-back slot at Chelsea.
Although the club has shown the desire to splash the cash in the summer, spending a fortune on Hakimi might be a bit unwise given the fact that the west London giants are in immediate need of reinforcements elsewhere, including the central defensive department. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen if Chelsea do splash a “mind-boggling” sum for Hakimi this summer.
