Man Utd ahead of Barca and Madrid - Ranking the contenders to sign Hakimi this summer
FT Desk
- Updated: 16 Jul 2022 11:42 BST
- 4 min read
Paris Saint-Germain full-back Achraf Hakimi could be set to leave the French giants just one year after joining the Ligue 1 club.
The Morocco international joined PSG last summer from Inter for a substantial fee of around €67 million and has established himself as one of European football’s most dynamic wing-backs.
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However, according to reports in France, the 23-year-old talent has already lost interest in his new club and wants to move on this summer.
Indeed, RMC Sport journalist Daniel Riolo stated this week that “Hakimi is freaking out. So much so that the South Americans no longer speak to him. He wants to get out.”
So if Hakimi can push for a move away from PSG this summer, what clubs are in need of a right-back and can afford to buy him?
🗣💬 @DanielRiolo "Hakimi est en train de péter un plomb. A tel point que les Sud-Américains ne lui adressent plus parole. Il veut se barrer" pic.twitter.com/I9GNvC0SyZ
— After Foot RMC (@AfterRMC) March 22, 2022
4. Bayern Munich
While Bayern Munich look as solid as ever under Julian Nageslmann, there’s no doubt that the club are in desperate need of a right back this summer. Bouna Sarr hasn’t lived up to the hype, Benjamin Pavard has been moved to a centre back position and as a result the Bayern head coach has often had to resort to playing Kingsley Coman as a wing-back.
As such, Hakimi would be the final piece of the puzzle for Bayern and in Munich the wing-back would be able to challenge for Champions League trophies each and every year. However, there’s no chance that Bayern would be willing to pay anything close to what PSG paid for the player last year and a deal would only work if they could either loan him or sign him for a cut-down fee.
3. Barcelona
Another club that may be in desperate need of a right wing-back this summer are Barcelona, who are currently relying on the evergreen talents of a 38-year-old Dani Alves to guard the right side of their defence.
Indeed, with Sergino Dest expected to leave the club this summer and Alves not getting any younger, Hakimi would be the perfect fit for Xavi’s squad. And the fact that Real Madrid let him slip through their fingers would make it all the sweeter for the Catalan giants.
However, like Bayern, Barca are bound to be careful with their money this summer and Hakimi may end up being too expensive for them.
2. Real Madrid
Once a Madrid player, it would seem odd for Hakimi to consider a return to the club that deemed him surplus to requirement not so long ago. And yet, a move to the Spanish capital still makes perfect sense for the Moroccon defender.
Assuming he and the club hold no hard feelings, Hakimi would be a huge upgrade on Dani Carvajal and provide the kind of width that may be lacking in Madrid’s top-heavy side next season. And, unlike their Catalan rivals, Madrid will have money to splash this summer, assuming they don’t spend it all on Kylian Mbappe or Erling Haaland.
1. Manchester United
If a return to Madrid is off the cards for Hakimi and Barcelona or Bayern can’t afford his asking price, then a move to England would make the most amount of sense for the defender and in that regard there’s only one club that truly stands out as a contender.
Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool all have outstanding right-backs, but Manchester United remain dogged by the form of Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Diogo Dalot and as such will undoubtedly be in the market for another right-back this summer.
New manager Erik ten Hag is also interested in Hakimi, but as Football Transfers revealed, he may be too expensive at the minute, with other transfer targets prioritised.
