Chelsea: Losing Achraf Hakimi to PSG would be a bad sign

It looks as if Chelsea is set to lose out on signing Inter Milan’s Achraf Hakimi as the wingback packs his bags for Paris. The fact that the Blues lost out on Hakimi makes no sense whatsoever; it’s a sign of a flawed transfer policy. The Moroccan is an elite player at his position and someone the Blues were interested in. It’s time to discuss Chelsea’s transfer approach as it applies to any top player on the market. The analysis will begin with a specific case in Hakimi and transition to a general transfer policy chat.

Paris Saint-Germain has shown great interest in the Inter player and may be willing to splash a record amount of cash to acquire him. That this world powerhouse is interested is a good sign that he’s the real deal. The Parisian side has an abundance of money and is making it clear that it wants the player. When Les Rouge et Bleu really want a player, they’ll pay whatever it takes to land him—it’s a top attitude from a top side. There’s no doubting PSG’s pull power. After all, we are discussing a club that employs world class players like Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and now, Gianluigi Donnarumma, as well.

That’s how a world class club—such as Bayern Munich or Real Madrid—operates. If they want a certain player and the interest is reciprocal, they open their checkbooks, it’s a simple as that. For these top sides, cash is not going to deter them from signing a player they feel they want or need. A key element of this entire dynamic is the fact that these players wants to join the club, as well.

Chelsea missing out on Hakimi could be an awful sign of things to come.

Previously, it was mentioned that Tuchel and the club may be interested in Hakimi. Though a question that is not clear is, does Hakimi want Chelsea? If not, the entire exercise is a complete waste of time effort and computer type. If Hakimi wants PSG, that’s fine. Chelsea should move on and that will be that, but if Hakimi believes in the projects of both, the effort by the Blues is worthwhile.

The problem purportedly in the presumed discussions is that Chelsea is reluctant to fork over all the cash required. It prefers cash plus adding a makeweight player moving to Inter to make the deal happen. That’s fine, but playing that negotiating game can cost the club the player. If both the club and Tuchel (that dynamic brings up the whole issue of the managerial merry-go-round and transfers) really do want the player, then the Blues should just pay what Inter wants and sign Hakimi. That’s how world class clubs operate; they don’t haggle over relatively small change.

That’s how players like Neymar and Mbappe wind up at PSG. The players want the club and the club pays top dollar for the great player. Erling Haaland is in the same class perhaps as those superstars—or at least could be. That’s why I have personally stated that Chelsea should pay whatever it takes to get Dortmund to sell. But again, if both club and manager want the player and he wants the Blues.

Chelsea’s ultimate fate with a Hakimi transfer may rest with its true desire to sign the player. It can pay all the cash Inter wants and then subsequently sell fringe players to glean whatever it can from those sales. That’s the best option for both club and those players. Sales of superfluous players, even at a loss, will help defray the costs for a player or two the club really wants to sign.

If the Blues really want to be a world class team, they need to act like the top club in the market.