Achraf Hakimi is reportedly close to joining Paris Saint Germain from Serie A champions Inter for a fee of 70 million euros, with add-ons included, as the Ligue 1 giants look to strengthen a position that has been a point of weakness in recent years.
The former Real Madrid right wing-back stood out for the Nerazzurri last season by scoring seven goals and producing 11 assists in all competitions as Antonio Conte led his team to domestic success after an 11-year wait.
According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Inter and PSG are set to strike a deal soon, while Achraf has already agreed terms on a contract at the Parc des Princes until 2026.
Finally signing an elite right-back
Since the departure of an ageing Dani Alves, PSG have struggled to find a player to fill in the right-back position in recent years.
Those who have featured in that position, including Alessandro Florenzi, Colin Dagba and Thomas Meunier, haven’t managed to leave their mark at PSG, whose defensive struggles have prevented them from achieving Champions League success.
Is Achraf ideal for the right-back slot?
Having stood out as a right wing-back on loan from Real Madrid at Borussia Dortmund, Achraf moved to Inter, where he was used in the same position in Conte‘s 3-5-2 formation.
In fact, Achraf has barely played in a four-man defence over the last few years, but his spell under the Italian coach helped him improve defensively.
Mauricio Pochettino would definitely cherish the opportunity to unleash an attacking-minded right-back on the pitch, with Achraf‘s potential signing giving him the option to experiment on different formations next season.
PSG mainly played either a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3 system under Pochettino, but the fact that the Argentine joined the club halfway through the season didn’t give him space to make big changes.
While Florenzi‘s loan is unlikely to be made permanent, Achraf‘s potential move will definitely be an upgrade for PSG in their pursuit of Champions League glory in the 2021/22 campaign, particularly with the club also having signed Italy’s 22-year-old goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
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