CHELSEA could be set to miss out on Real Madrid starlet Achraf Hakimi this summer, with Bayern Munich eager to sign the 21-year-old.
Hakimi is set to return to Madrid following two successful years on loan in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund.
Such has been the progress made by the flying full-back, that he has attracted the interest of some of Europe’s top clubs, including Chelsea and Manchester United.
But according to AS, it is Bayern that will go all-out to secure his signature.
Real Madrid have been impressed with their academy graduate’s progress and are open to re-integrating him into their first-team squad next season.
But Hakimi himself is unwilling to stick around as back-up, and Zinedine Zidane’s assertion that Dani Carvajal will remain his first-choice could force the youngster towards a Bernabeu exit.
Madrid understand his stance and are open to selling him if he wishes… but not on the cheap.
Despite the two club’s boards sharing a cordial relationship, Bayern will still have to stump up around £54million to acquire their key target.
Salary should be less of an issue, however, with the Bavarians willing to offer him an improved wage of between £100,000 and £120,000-a-week.
French World Cup winning defender Benjamin Pavard has been Hansi Flick’s first-choice right-back this season.
But Bayern feel that signing Hakimi and enabling Pavard to instead play as a centre-back would increase their quality going forward.
Borussia Dortmund still haven’t given up on retaining Hakimi, who has formed a brilliant understanding with Jadon Sancho over the last two years.
But in a familiar story for BVB, they are unlikely to be able to compete with the “financial muscle” of Bayern.
There is a glimmer of hope for fans of clubs hoping to beat Bayern to his signature, however.
His agent Alejandro Camano recently revealed: “Nobody from Bayern or Real Madrid spoke to me about a possible Achraf move to Bayern.”
