Chelsea are ‘still in the game’ for Inter Milan star Achraf Hakimi and have improved their offer for him in recent days.
That’s according to Gazzetta Dello Sport, who provide an update on the situation around the Moroccan star today.
The full-back has been heavily linked with a move to Paris Saint Germain, with Inter keen to sell as the club’s owners, Suning, look to reduce costs and put a profit of €70m in the books.
Hakimi is the one they have earmarked for a sale, and PSG are working on a deal. They have offered €60m thus far and have a deal worth around €8m a year plus €2m in bonuses ready for the player.
Inter, though, are holding out for as much as €80m, and that means that other suitors, namely Chelsea, still have a chance.
One of those is defender Emerson Palmieri, but there is a ‘large number’ of players at Stamford Bridge they could also include in the deal, from Davide Zappacosta to Marcos Alonso and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
The latter is already in talks with Lazio but would provide a new addition to Inter’s midfield, which will be forced to change after Christian Eriksen’s collapse at the Euros.
This is all backed up by Corriere Dello Sport, who say that PSG have upped their bid as a response to Chelsea’s ‘counter offensive’.
Inter Milan were hoping for this to happen, although whether they will hit their €80m target remains to be seen.
On the Chelsea front, they say they have ‘fully entered the race’ for Hakimi and have made a list of players available to Inter to include in the deal.
That list comprises of Emerson Palmieri, Andreas Christensen, Davide Zappacosta and Marcos Alonso.
Inter’s sights were ‘immediately set on the latter’, and that means the Blues have gained a ‘small advantage’, although Inter would have to work out an agreement with Alonso first given his wages.
One disadvantage for Chelsea is that Hakimi has an agreement with PSG on a contract, but that does not mean the door to Stamford Bridge is ‘closed’ yet.
