Chelsea target Achraf Hakimi shows off speed in training
Chelsea are among a host of clubs who are reportedly monitoring Achraf Hakimi ahead of the summer transfer window. The Real Madrid youngster has impressed during a two-year spell on loan at Borussia Dortmund and is attracting attention from around Europe.
Hakimi has caught the eye during his time in Germany, registering 10 assists in 25 Bundesliga outings this term.
The Moroccan full-back also scored a sensational Champions League double against Slavia Prague to contribute towards his tally of seven goals in 37 appearances across all competitions.
However, his loan with Dortmund ends this summer and the 21-year-old is yet to agree a permanent move to the Signal Iduna Park.
Instead, Hakimi will return to Real Madrid where he has two more years left on his current contract.
Chelsea transfer news: the Blues are one of several clubs interested in Achraf Hakimi (Image: GETTY)
The versatile defender is set for talks with his parent club over his future, with new terms likely to be demanded in order to reflect his rapid development.
However, an updated deal is yet to be agreed while a permanent move to Dortmund has not materialised so clubs from around Europe have shown interest in the rising star.
According to The Athletic, Chelsea have been long-standing admirers of Hakimi while Premier League rivals Tottenham and Arsenal have expressed interest in the past.
It is also reported that Paris Saint-Germain were keen last year while Juventus have tracked his progress and Bayern Munich would like to steal a march on Dortmund, who themselves want to keep hold of Hakimi.
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Real Madrid have an option to extend their current deal with the youngster until 2023 and did not include the possibility of a permanent switch to Dortmund in the loan deal.
Dortmund did not fork out a loan fee for Hakimi but actually paid the player higher wages than he would have received at the Bernabeu.
However, Lucien Favre’s side are unlikely to be able to compete if a bidding war breaks out for the full-back and could turn to PSG defender Thomas Meunier as a replacement.
The Athletic suggest Real may be willing to listen to bids of up to €60million (£53m) for Hakimi, complete with a buy-back clause, as they look to raise funds for a summer spending spree.
Chelsea transfer news: Hakimi is returning to Real Madrid after a loan spell at Borussia Dortmund (Image: GETTY)
However, their decision to sell will be influenced by whether Zinedine Zidane gives Alvaro Odriozola another chance to impress after spending the last six months on loan at Bayern.
Dani Carvajal is currently first-choice at Real but it is suggested that now would represent the ideal time to bring through his replacement, meaning the La Liga giants could keep hold of Hakimi.
Speaking about Hakimi’s future, the player’s agent Alejandro Camano told Spox: “The contract with Real Madrid is still the one we negotiated in 2017 and that runs to June 2022.
“We'll have to wait and see. After the coronavirus crisis is over, we'll sit down with Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund to discuss the matter.”
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Chelsea are on the hunt for defensive reinforcements as Frank Lampard looks to overhaul his playing squad this summer.
Emerson Palmieri is expected to join Juventus so the Blues are searching for a new left-back and have been linked with a number of high-profile names including Ben Chilwell, Alex Telles and Nicolas Tagliafico.
With Chilwell valued at £80m, Hakimi offers a cheaper option and can play on either flank.
However, with such hot competition it still appears more likely that the Blues will focus their efforts on prising Telles away from Porto.