One Of The World's Best Players Admits Real Madrid Are The Club Of His Dreams

Paris Saint-Germain full-back Achraf Hakimi has confirmed Real Madrid are the club of his childhood and hinted he'd like to return in the future.

The 22-year-old came through Madrid's academy and even won the Champions League in 2018.

He then spent two seasons on loan at Borussia Dortmund before joining Inter Milan on a permanent transfer in 2020.

Now in the French capital after a summer move, Hakimi has admitted 'Los Blancos' still have a place in his heart.

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"Real Madrid is the club of my childhood, it is thanks to the one that I am here today," Hakimi told Marca.

"I was there for more than twelve years, I am very grateful to this club. For the moment, I have not had the opportunity to succeed there, you never know what the future will be like."

It is believed Hakimi left for Milan due to Madrid's financial situation, heavily impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

Hakimi went on to discuss the chat he had with former manager Zinedine Zidane not long after his transfer.

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He continued: "(His first call) I was with some friends, sitting on a bench in front of the house chatting and there the phone rings and it's ... Zidane! He tells me I'm going to play and not I expected it. (His departure from Madrid) I learned a lot from him.

"What happened in 2020 has nothing to do with him. These are other aspects linked in particular to Covid and Real Madrid that made me leave. At that time I had a conversation with him that will remain between us. He thought differently."

Hakimi hinting at a return to Madrid won't come as a shock to his manager in Italy, Antonio Conte, who told Sky Italia: "Hakimi's dream is to return to play at Real Madrid."

Despite arriving in the same summer as Gianluigi Donnarumma, Georginio Wijnaldum and Lionel Messi, Hakimi has managed to stand out at the Parc des Princes.

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The Morocco international has scored three goals and provided two assists in his first seven Ligue 1 games.

Kylian Mbappe has benefitted from Hakimi's crossing and the pair are becoming good friends off the pitch.

Hakimi said: "We are young, we have many things in common, the same things amuse us. This friendship makes us better and helps us to be complementary on the pitch."

Topics: Paris Saint-Germain, Football, Achraf Hakimi, Real Madrid

Daniel Marland

Daniel is a journalist for SPORTbible and he has previous experience with Manchester United. He has spoken to some of the biggest names in sport including Rio Ferdinand, Peter Crouch, WWE COO Triple H and WWE legend The Undertaker. May or may not do a decent impression of Jamie Carragher.

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