Why Achraf Hakimi would be a great addition for Tottenham
Real Madrid full-back Achraf Hakimi, who is currently on loan at Borussia Dortmund, has not ruled out a transfer this summer, as links with the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham continue to make the headlines (h/t Evening Standard).
The 21-year-old Hakimi is a product of the Real Madrid academy, who made his breakthrough into the senior team in 2017-18. The Moroccan was sent out on a two-year loan spell to Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2018, where he has thrived.
So far in his stint with Dortmund, Hakimi has made 65 appearances across all competitions, scoring 10 goals and assisting 17. With his loan spell at Dortmund set to come to an end, a number of clubs, including Tottenham, are lining up to sign the 21-year-old in the summer (h/t Evening Standard).
Tottenham have had a disappointing campaign so far. The Lilywhites have already been dumped out of all cup competitions, while they find themselves in 8th spot in the Premier League table. There is a strong possibility that the North Londoners will miss out on Champions League football for next season.
Having sacked Mauricio Pochettino in November after a poor start, Tottenham appointed Jose Mourinho as the new manager. And while results improved under the Portuguese initially, their form had been on a decline prior to the league getting suspended due to coronavirus.
Injuries to key forwards like Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and January signing Steven Bergwijn played a part in this but a large part of the blame has to fall on Spurs’ leaky defence. The Lilywhites’ backline has struggled to perform for the majority of the season. Since Mourinho took over, Spurs have conceded 23 goals in his 17 league matches in charge.
So it is imperative that the club look to bolster their defensive ranks in the summer. While a new centre-back should be a priority for Mourinho, Tottenham should also look at strengthening their full-back department in the summer.
Allowing Kieran Trippier to leave in the summer without bringing in a proper replacement left Spurs with Serge Aurier as the only frontline right-back. The Ivorian has been at his inconsistent best this season, committing errors that have proved costly to the team on several occasions.
Youngster Kyle Walker-Peters was allowed to leave on loan in January despite the dearth of options, indicating that Mourinho does not trust the academy graduate enough.
The Portuguese instead put his faith in another young academy man Japhet Tanganga, and while he has done fairly well at right-back, he is a central defender and is much more at home in his natural role than the makeshift position at right-back.
A similar issue persists on the left flank as well, with Danny Rose allowed to leave in January, that left Ben Davies as the only out-and-out left-back. Ryan Sessegnon is an option but has been used in a more attacking role often.
Signing Hakimi, in that regard, would resolve these issues for Tottenham. The Moroccan international has proven himself adept at playing on both right and left sides of the defence during his time at Dortmund, while also being able to slot in as a wing-back when needed.
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The 21-year-old is enjoying his finest season in 2019/20, having plundered 7 goals and assisted 10 in 37 matches across all competitions. This kind of form coupled with the versatility that he has shown would help Tottenham address their issues in the full-back department.
Verdict
Tottenham are in urgent need of reinforcements in defence and Hakimi’s arrival would add depth in two key areas for the team. Should the Moroccan carry forward the form that he has shown this season at Dortmund, he has every chance to grow into a key player for Mourinho at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium. Hence, the club should try their hardest to lure Hakimi to London in the summer.
