Achraf Hakimi became champion of Serie A this weekend with Inter, celebrating his title with an appearance on El Chiringuito where he spoke about his former club Real Madrid according to Marca and Football Italia. Family and friends left messages of support for the Moroccan, although the player remarked neither Zinedine Zidane nor Florentino Perez had been in touch to offer their congratulations.
Hakimi revealed that Madrid still retain a first refusal option on him should he ever move on from the Italian side, and set the record straight on the reason he left the club in the first place. Hakimi, 22, left Madrid this past summer for Inter for a fee in the region of €40m. Born in Madrid to Moroccan parents, he came through La Fabrica, also spending two seasons on loan at Borussia Dortmund between 2018 and 2020.
“I have to clarify,” Hakimi said. “People are speaking saying that I didn’t want to compete for my position and it wasn’t like that. Everyone knows that Real Madrid was my home and that I would have liked to play there, but due to circumstances I think the club decided otherwise.
“But everyone knows that I would have liked to have been there and won the position. People talk, but people don’t know the reality. That bothers me a little, that people think I was afraid of winning or fighting for the position. I was the first one who asked if I could be there to win the position, because I felt qualified for it.”
Hakimi has enjoyed a stellar season in Italy, seeing his Transfermarkt value hit €50m. Renowned for his speed and athleticism, Hakimi has scored seven goals and contributed seven assists in 33 Serie A appearances this campaign, playing 78% of Inter’s minutes and contributing directly to 18% of their goals.
