Real Madrid: Why Achraf Hakimi could still help Los Blancos

Achraf Hakimi left Real Madrid in the summer of 2020, for Inter Milan, with a reported transfer fee of around 40 million euros. Achraf was expected to come back to his parent club Real Madrid after a successful two-year loan at BVB Dortmund, but his transfer to Internazionale came as a surprise to everyone.

At the time of his departure, there was a lot of speculation about the reasons behind his transfer. Few sources suggested that he ‘demanded’ a starting position ahead of Carvajal, while his agent went on to say that the manager Zinedine Zidane was responsible for his move to Italy.

But yesterday we finally got clarity in his case, as Hakimi himself spoke about the issue and cleared all the doubts.

These were Achraf Hakimi’s words in an interview with El Chiringuito, via AS. 

"“I don’t really know what happened, but I don’t blame Zidane or the club, I think there are circumstances that arose from the pandemic and everything and I had to leave.“Everyone knows, and the last time we spoke, that Real Madrid was my home and that I would like to play there, but due to circumstances I think the club decided otherwise, but everyone knows that I would have liked to be there and win the position.”"

These words from Hakimi make it clear that it was solely the decision of Real Madrid’s management to sell the Moroccan international, as they had to raise funds to cover for the losses faced by the club due to the COVID-19 pandemic. And it doesn’t come us a surprise, given that Hakimi was one of Real Madrid’s best assets at that time and given the quality at the Right-Back position, in the form of Dani Carvajal.

But Hakimi’s interview also conveys another thing that he wanted to continue at his boyhood club, and he is still open to a return. His mention of the first right of refusal in his contract suggests that he’s hoping to return one day. He’s currently in a joyous mood after a successful debut Serie-A campaign with Inter Milan, as his club won the league and Hakimi had a great season individually with seven goals and eight assists in all competitions.

Hakimi’s fantastic run with the Nerazzuri does question Real’s decision to sell their academy graduate, but at that time it was the right decision sporting-wise. Financially Real Madrid needed to raise funds, which isn’t that good to hear, but they had the right reasons sporting-wise. The club had Dani Carvajal in the right back position, who just had a brilliant 2019/20 season, and didn’t have a single injury that season.

And Zinedine Zidane mostly used a four-man defensive line, which demands two-way full-backs who are adept at both the ends of the field. Hakimi is a great attacking player, but he had his shortcomings at the other end of the pitch. Even at Dortmund, he was more of a wing-back, and he could’ve faced some issue as a right-back at Real. Though he left Madrid, he went to the right club, as Antonio Conte used a 3-5-2 at Inter Milan, which accommodated a wing-back like Hakimi. And even at Inter, he has been more of an attacking influence.

Though Hakimi had a great time at Inter Milan, Real Madrid struggled with injuries in the Right-Back position. Dani Carvajal and Alvaro Odriozola had their own struggles with injuries, while the number 2 of Real Madrid missed about 70-80% of the season with injuries. This required Lucas Vazquez to cover for his Spanish compatriot, and he had his own problems with injuries.

This made a lot of people question Real Madrid’s decision to sell Hakimi. It seemed like the right decision at the point of Hakimi’s sale, but the fate of Real Madrid’s 2020/21 season made it look doubtful. Maybe he could’ve helped Real Madrid if he stayed, but it was difficult to predict all these injuries. But he could actually still help Real Madrid.

Can Real Madrid get Achraf Hakimi back from Inter?

Zinedine Zidane has often used a three-man defence this season, particularly in recent weeks and even in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-finals against Chelsea. As I mentioned above, this formation is perfect for attacking wide players like Achraf, who would have lesser defensive responsibilities.

Dani Carvajal’s injury-prone nature and Alvaro Odriozola’s failure to live up to the expectations call for the signing of a backup, in case of a possible departure of Odriozola. This further increases chance of Hakimi’s comeback, combined with the system change. The three-man defence isn’t permanent and Carvajal won’t be injured all the time, but Achraf is someone who can play as a right-winger as well. And considering Real Madrid’s problems with the right-wing position, Hakimi can actually help.

These factors do show that Hakimi can actually help Real Madrid, but will he actually help? I mean, will Real Madrid actually buy him back? They wouldn’t have placed the first right to refusal clause if they weren’t mindful of him. But that clause is useful only when Inter receive a bid for Hakimi, and Real can then prevent a move.

And Inter Milan wouldn’t want to sell a player who helped them a lot in his debut season in Italy. And even if the Moroccan asks for a transfer if he receives interest from Los Blancos, Inter Milan won’t sell him for a small amount. They would demand a lot for him, and Real Madrid aren’t in the position to spend that much for him, with different priorities this summer and the debt due to the pandemic.

He might not even be a realistic target for the club now, but these words from Hakimi do raise speculations. But if Real Madrid do want to sign him, he can be a possible target in 2022, as the fans are expected to be back in the stadiums for the 2021-22 season, which will generate a lot of revenue for the club through ticket sales. It isn’t certain, but until then we have to just wait and watch.