Real Madrid suffer blow in pursuit of 25-year-old Ligue 1 star: Reports
After Dani Carvajal suffered a harsh injury against Villarreal in La Liga over the weekend (October 5), Real Madrid had turned their attention to Achraf Hakimi to reinforce the right-back position. However, as per a report from Spanish media outlet Mundo Deportivo, the Spanish giants have suffered a blow in their pursuit of of the 25-year-old defender.
As per the report, Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are in advanced talks with Hakimi for a contract extension. The Moroccan sees his existing contract come to an end in 2026.
Post Carvajal's knee injury, Los Blancos are looking for players to lockdown the right-back position. They have numerous candidates on their radar including Hakimi, LOSC Lille's Tiago Santos and even Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Speaking of Achraf Hakimi, he has turned into a star while plying his trade in Ligue 1 for PSG. The right-back joined the club in the summer of 2021 and has since made 128 appearances for the side, scoring 15 goals and delivering 22 assists.
Hakimi rose from the ranks of Real Madrid. However, he garnered attention after his stints at Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan and now PSG. He is considered an important member of Luis Enrique's contingent. Apart from Real Madrid, many other clubs are monitoring his performance since he will enter the last 18 months of his existing contract in January.
Real Madrid's injury woes and season so far
Carlo Ancelotti's side have suffered a few notable injuries this season. Eduardo Camavinga has recovered and is back in action after he suffered a blow before the UEFA Super Cup game against Atalanta.
As of now, Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Jr are out. The former has suffered a devastating knee injury and undergone surgery. He will miss the remainder of the season. On the other hand, the Brazilian forward had to be taken off in the Villarreal game before the match concluded. He scored a banger of a goal in that game but also felt pain in his neck, as revealed by Ancelotti in the post-match interactions.
Vinicius, however, is expected to be back after the international break. Real Madrid are currently placed second in La Liga, three points behind toppers Barcelona. In the UEFA Champions League, they won their first game (against VfB Stuttgart) before losing 1-0 to LOSC Lille on the second matchday.
After the break comes to an end, Los Blancos will face Celta Vigo in La Liga (October 19), followed by a continental fixture against Borussia Dortmund (October 22). On October 26, they will take on Hansi Flick's Barcelona in the much-awaited El Clasico.