Real Madrid: Can Achraf Hakimi help replace Gareth Bale?

Real Madrid will most likely benefit from Achraf Hakimi’s skill-set in 2020-2021. Although he’s viewed as a right back, could he make his biggest contributions at right wing?

Although Achraf Hakimi could still return to Borussia Dortmund for one more year, especially if it helps Real Madrid land Erling Haaland with Kylian Mbappe seemingly unachievable in 2020, Los Blancos are fully expected to have the Morocco international back in the lineup.

Hakimi is coming off a wildly successful two-year loan spell at BVB. After a promising first season in which Lucien Favre and Co. let Hakimi show his talent while patiently letting him fight through a learning curve on defense, the 21-year-old truly burst onto the scene in 2019-2020.

Before the season was postponed, Hakimi had three goals and 10 assists for Dortmund in the Bundesliga, producing an incredible partnership with Jadon Sancho on the right side of BVB’s formation. Hakimi was a star at left back, right back, left wing, and right wing in his two years with the team, scoring and assisting from all areas of the pitch.

Real Madrid have plenty of depth at left back in Ferland Mendy, club legend Marcelo, and another returning loanee in Sergio Reguilon. But at right back last season, all they had was veteran Dani Carvajal, who ended up being overworked. His only backup, Alvaro Odriozola, was cast out of the squad at loaned to Bayern Munich by winter.

So Carvajal could use some competition and rest at right back, which Hakimi could provide. But Hakimi could also be a crucial player for Los Blancos at a position further up the pitch on the right side of the formation.

Hakimi’s experience as an excellent Bundesliga – and Champions League – right winger could make him an ideal fit in Real’s attack. Gareth Bale will almost certainly leave the club this summer. At least, that’s what Real hope.

Rodrygo Goes could be a direct replacement for Bale, but Zinedine Zidane seems to want to bring the teenager along more slowly before he reaches stardom. And due to the upcoming transfer market situation, it may not be possible for Real Madrid to sign a true upgrade on the right side.

However, they could already have a tailor-made upgrade and replacement for Bale in Hakimi, whose attacking contributions at Dortmund were nothing short of exemplary.

The 10 assists in the Bundesliga and four goals in eight Champions League game stand out, and those numbers would have made him Real’s second-most productive attacker behind Karim Benzema last season. Sounds like an upgrade at right wing over Bale to me.

Furthermore, the other statistics are also impressive. Per WhoScored.com, Hakimi put up at least 1.2 key passes per game in both the Bundesliga and Champions League, with more than two dribbles completed per game in each competition.

Hakimi is a star at both right back and right winger, and he can play either position for Real Madrid. Since Carvajal will be a bigger part of the squad than Bale, who may not even be a part of the team in 2020-2021, Hakimi could be more of a replacement for Bale and a supplement for Carvajal than a replacement for the latter.