Inter are closing in on the €40m signing of Real Madrid defender Achraf Hakimi this summer, reports transfer guru Gianluca Di Marzio.
The Moroccan international arrived at Borussia Dortmund on a two-year long loan deal in the summer of 2018 and is now entering the final months of that arrangement.
Despite Madrid highly valuing the player, his preferred position of right-back is already occupied by Spain international Dani Carvajal with Alvaro Odriozola and Nacho Fernandez also in that position.
Dortmund and Bayern Munich have both been linked, with the front page of Tuesday’s edition of Diario AS last week claiming that the German champions will offer the player a ‘galactic’ salary,
“Real Madrid are the club I call home,” Hakimi told Telefoot, in quotes cited by Diario AS.
“I’ve really enjoyed my time there and played lots of games there. If Real Madrid want me to go back, I’ll go back. And if not, I will need to write the next chapter at another great club.”
The player told Cadena Ser in February: “Returning to Madrid is what my contract says, but anything can happen in June and we will see what happens in the summer.
“In my head, I have to want to be playing and keep growing where I am given first-team opportunities, like has been the case here in Germany.
“I want to showcase the player that I am and do what I enjoy doing the most – playing football.”
Hakimi, 21, has already amassed 22 caps for Morocco, including all three group matches at the 2018 World Cup.
The full-back had represented the Bundesliga title challengers 33 times last season and was largely very impressive before being ruled out for the remainder of the campaign in March.
He has once again return to action this season and has appeared in 41 games including a starring performance in November’s 3-2 win over Inter in the Champions League – where he netted twice.
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“Bruno Fernandes told me that, as a kid, he had a poster of me. He said that when he played Football Manager he always signed me. I was like, ‘You had me on a poster? And, seriously, you sign me for FM?’ I mean, how weird is that?” – Find out who said this right here.
