Dortmund give up on Real Madrid's Hakimi to leave door open for €40m Inter switch

Borussia Dortmund have formally given up in the race to sign Achraf Hakimi from Real Madrid on a permanent basis.

The right-back has been with Lucien Favre’s side for each of the last two seasons on loan, but he will not remain at Signal Iduna Park beyond the end of the current campaign.

Although Real Madrid will recall the player, reports suggest that he is set for a move to Inter, where he will be guaranteed the first-team football he craves under head coach Antonio Conte.

The 21-year-old has contributed significantly to Dortmund’s push to secure second in the Bundesliga, scoring five goals and adding 10 assists to date, but Saturday’s encounter against Hoffenheim, in which he was named only as a substitute, will be the last time he appears on a teamsheet for BVB.

“There have been developments only this week. The price is much higher now. And there is a point where we have to say: we do not want this and we cannot do this,” Michael Zorc to Sky Sports . 

Previously, Zorc had insisted that Dortmund were very much in the race to retain the player.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, he said: "His deal with Dortmund is ending. But we're interested in finding a solution with Real again and find a solution where he will be back playing at BVB next season."

It is reported that Inter will make a €40 million (£36m/$45m) offer for the player and will offer him a healthy salary, too.

In total, Hakimi has played 44 times in all competitions this season, notably scoring four goals in eight Champions League appearances, notching a crucial double in a thrilling 3-2 victory over Inter that helped his side progress to the knockout stages of the competition.

He has been contracted to Real Madrid for the duration of his professional career to date, having joined the Santiago Bernabeu side when he was only seven years old.

He made his debut for the reserve side in 2016 and graduated to the first-team squad in August 2017. Thus far, he has featured 17 times in all competitions for the Primera Division title hopefuls and scored two goals.

Meanwhile, the Madrid-born player has featured 28 times for Morocco, scoring two goals for his international side.