Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has signed Moroccan international defender Achraf Hakimi from Italian Serie A side Inter Milan to a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee, the French Ligue 1 club announced on Tuesday. The French press reported that PSG paid around 60 million euros ($71 million) for the multilateral rights.
The 22-year-old, born in Spain, went through Real Madrid’s youth academy before joining the senior team in 2017 and was part of the team that won the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and World Cup titles, FIFA-18 campaign in 2017. Hakimi, who made headlines in football transfer news, has won 36 heads and scored four goals for Morocco since making his debut in 2016.
Before joining Inter Milan, Hakimi won the German Super Cup in 2019 with German Bundesliga team Borussia Dortmund, with whom he won the Serie A title the previous season.
Hakimi told PSG’s website, “I feel a great sense of pride. After Spain, Germany, and Italy, Paris Saint-Germain offers me the chance to discover a new championship with one of the most prestigious clubs in the world. I can’t wait to meet my new teammates, the fans and experience the incredible colour and passion inside the Parc des Princes. I share the same big ambitions as the coaching staff and my teammates and will do everything I can to deliver what is expected of me.”
Mauricio Pochettino’s PSG has already signed Dutch midfielder Giorginio Wijnaldum after giving up his contract with Liverpool, while media reports say they are close to bringing on Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and former Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos. PSG has so far failed to win the Champions League, despite Qatar Sports Investments taking over millions of dollars in 2011 and signing Brazilian Neymar for a world-record fee.
Chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi said: “We are delighted to welcome Achraf Hakimi to Paris Saint-Germain. This caliber of signing shows the level of our ambitions – we continue to build something very special.
“Achraf may only be 22 years old and has already established himself as one of the most talented full-backs in world football – these are the standards we set at the club. I know Achraf will have a fantastic career with us and the whole club wishes him every success in our colors.”
