Like a cyclone. Unexpected, fast, shocking but also disappeared. Achraf Hakimi was like this at Inter, he arrived in the most particular summer of anyone’s life, at the end of June 2020, when Covid had not yet been averted. Paid a lot – over 40 million euros – after extraordinary seasons at Borussia Dortmund, when Real Madrid didn’t fully believe in it. During just one year, the time to win the Scudetto without particular problems, and resold for 65 million – plus bonuses – to guarantee business continuity after, for a period, the installments of its purchase had not been paid to Los Blancos due to the crisis of Suning’s liquidity.
He is probably one of the best players in the world in his position. Fast, technical, good at defending and attacking, no weak points. Hakimi’s farewell had started a dispute, further exacerbated by Lukaku’s subsequent farewell. However, the situation could not have been managed differently by Zhang who, otherwise, really risked ending up in a dead end situation.
“Inter meant consolidating me into the elite by taking my name to the highest possible level, even becoming champions of Italy. Paris was, well, magnificent. I’m in one of the best moments of my career, and in the capital I’m French and I’m continuing to consolidate the experience I had on the Nerazzurri side of Milan.” Achraf Hakimi turns 26 today.