Chelsea ‘closely following’ £60m-plus Inter wing-back
Chelsea will be quoted upwards of £60m for Inter Milan wing-back Achraf Hakimi, according to reports.
Moroccan international Hakimi was thought to be close to a move to PSG to replace Alessandro Florenzi, but their attempts to sign him on the cheap are said to be rejected.
PSG are said to be willing to pay around £50m to Inter Milan, who need to sell players after the pandemic left them in dire financial straits.
But according to Gianluca Di Marzio as well as Sky Sport Italia, Inter will not even start talking until bids reach the £60m mark, with Chelsea and Bayern Munich ‘closely following’ developments.
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Hakimi claimed seven goals and 10 assists from wing-back as Inter won the Serie A title.
It’s also worth noting that Real Madrid have a right of first refusal for Hakimi, which means they will get priority if they can match any offer.
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has tried Callum Hudson-Odoi and Reece James in that right-wing-back position but has recently settled on Cesar Azpilicueta, suggesting he sees James more as a centre-back.
Meanwhile, Antonio Rudiger has revealed that he almost left Chelsea last summer…for PSG.
“I was really about to leave. It was the start of a season with a European Championship at the end, and then I felt it was my duty to look for alternatives to the DFB in order to get enough match practice,” he told Kicker.
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“PSG and Thomas Tuchel were the most serious option. I also had contact with Tottenham Hotspur and José Mourinho, whom I really appreciate as a coach.”
Rudiger has since established himself in Tuchel’s Chelsea team and will be at the heart of the defence that faces Manchester City in the Champions League final.
He might be playing alongside Jules Kounde next season. He has said: “Regarding my future, it is certain that I may have to change this summer, but nothing is acted on yet, I have not decided anything.
“My goal is to evolve in a big club, to always try to progress and win trophies too. I may have to move, but that’s not relevant today.”