Mourinho's loophole and the Parisi indicator: Real Madrid's door will not close in Hakimi's face
Mbappé's friendship in the picture
Achraf Hakimi's future has become a hot topic in France, and the timing is telling. Real Madrid are hunting for answers at right-back, a search that could turn this into one of the most intriguing sagas of the coming transfer window.
Madrid's problem on the right simply won't go away. Fede Valverde keeps filling in out of position, with doubts hanging over both Trent Alexander-Arnold's form and new signing Denzel Dumfries.
Reports from France have only added fuel to the fire. Hakimi, so the story goes, has turned down the chance to extend his Paris Saint-Germain contract beyond 2029.
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Nostalgia for Madrid: questions without answers!
Italian journalist and sports commentator Pierpaolo Matrone revealed to Defensa Central that "Hakimi's camp has cooled Paris Saint-Germain's enthusiasm regarding the renewal, as they believe there is still enough time to deal with this matter, especially since the player's last contract renewal took place only two years ago".
He added: "This cautious stance inevitably leaves some questions unanswered about the future. Real Madrid is monitoring the situation from afar. Hakimi, who came through the ranks of the Spanish club, has never hidden his desire to wear the white shirt again one day".
Matrone floats a telling possibility. Achraf may be stalling on his PSG renewal while he waits for a call from Real Madrid.
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Who will fill the gap left by Mourinho?
The website hinted at the strong friendship between Achraf Hakimi "27 years old" and Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé, noting that "the French forward would likely be pleased with the opportunity to play once again alongside Hakimi at Real Madrid, after the years they spent together at Paris Saint-Germain".
The French club, however, does not appear ready to let one of its most prominent stars walk away from the Parc des Princes.
Achraf is, by a clear margin, the best right-back in the world right now. He left Real Madrid years ago because Dani Carvajal stood in his way, yet the right flank remains one of the Royal club's biggest gaps. Plenty of question marks hang over it today.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has yet to convince. Denzel Dumfries doesn't look to be at a sufficient level to claim a starting place in Mourinho's team. Nobody knows how long Valverde can keep playing at right-back without sparking a crisis like the one that has already flared between him and Xabi Alonso.
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Real Madrid could yet move for Achraf Hakimi. The bigger question is how Paris Saint-Germain would respond, though relations between the two clubs have improved considerably since Florentino Perez walked away from the European Super League project.
Nasser Al-Khelaifi might just be willing to open talks over the player this time, provided the financial return suits him. All of this remains hypothetical, according to the same website.
It concluded: "The coming months will reveal whether the matter is worth following as a serious case, or whether it will remain mere rumours and speculation."
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