Borussia Dortmund defender Achraf Hakimi has described his former coach and Real Madrid interim manager Santiago Solari as the right man for the job at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Solari groomed the Morocco international during his days with Madrid’s Castilla team before breaking into the first-team under Zinedine Zidane.
Julen Lopetegui's sack after a string of poor results and a humiliating 5-1 loss to Barcelona in last month's El Clasico paved away for the appointment of the Argentine gaffer as the acting coach.
After expressing shock over the dismissal of the former Spain coach, Hakimi believes that it would be a right call to make Solari's role in the first-team permanent.
“I’m very familiar with Solari, I’m delighted he has been afforded this role at Real Madrid,” Hakimi was quoted as saying by Football Espana.
“I think he matches the criteria to Coach the first-team at Madrid and I am sure that if it is permanent, it will prove to be the right move.
“He is popular and will bring the intensity that the team needs.
Hakimi who is on a two-year loan with Borussia Dortmund has enjoyed a fine start to life in the Bundesliga this season with six assists and a goal in eight matches.
And the Moroccan has disclosed the two Los Blancos players that influenced his decision to go to Germany.
“My loan move is working so far, it is a big challenge for me of course but I am very glad that I took the chance.
“Carvajal and Mayoral (who both played in Germany before) helped persuade me to come here," he concluded.
Hakimi produced a masterclass with a hat-trick of assists as the BVB thrashed Atletico Madrid 4-0 in the first leg of their meeting in Germany and he will hope to cause more havoc when he returns to Madrid for the return leg of the encounter at the Wanda Metropolitano on Tuesday.
