Moroccan international Achraf Hakimi will leave Spanish giants Real Madrid and join Italian Serie A club Inter Milan.
Real Madrid released a statement confirming that both clubs had reached an agreement over the transfer of the 21-year-old. Hakimi joins Inter on a five-year contract for a reported initial €40 million (£36 million) fee with €5 million (£4.5 million) in add-ons.
Hakimi still had two years left on his contract with the current La Liga leaders.
“The club wishes to thank Achraf for his many years of dedication, professionalism and exemplary conduct since he joined our academy in 2006 and wishes him all the very best in this new chapter,” the statement read in part.
Hakimi is believed not to have wanted to remain at Real Madrid where he would be second-choice to Spain’s Dani Carvajal given his impressive progress.
Several recent media reports stated that Inter Milan was the likeliest destination for Hakimi, who had spent the last two seasons on loan at German club Borussia Dortmund where he had impressed.
Hakimi had reportedly been promised a starting position at Inter where he would be in competition with Nigeria’s Victor Moses and Italian Antonio Candreva in the right wing-back role.
Hakimi’s time at the former Bundesliga champions appeared to be up after they signed Belgian right back Thomas Meunier from Paris Saint-Germain on a four-year contract.
Earlier in the week, Hakimi bid farewell to Dortmund, ending his two-year spell at the club on loan from Real Madrid.
He had scored nine goals and registered 10 assists in 45 games with the German side this season.
