PSG thinking about selling Achraf Hakimi next summer?

In addition to the speculation surrounding Lionel Messi's future at PSG, there have also been rumors about Achraf Hakimi potentially leaving the club as soon as next summer, something confirmed and explained by football insider Jonathan Johnson in his latest newsletter published Friday.

According to the information obtained by Johnson, "Manchester United and Chelsea have been linked with the Morocco international," although he notes that it is important to remember that Hakimi "is currently being investigated for sexual assault claims" and that the investigation might give pause to any and every suitor.

Depending on the outcome of the investigation, though, PSG might factor that into the equation of whether they want to keep or sell Hakimi and how the club would be evaluating any substantial offers that may come in for the right-back this summer.

From a purely footballing standpoint, Hakimi's role in PSG's squad and his performances on the pitch suggest that he is "unlikely to be one of the players the club looks to offload" in a potential reshuffle of their squad, said Johnson.

However, it is also worth noting that there aren't many other players in the current PSG squad who would command the kind of transfer fee that Hakimi could, particularly if he were to move to a Premier League club.

If a serious offer for Hakimi were to come in, PSG may have to consider it, especially as they prepare to add Milan Skriniar to their squad on a free transfer from Inter Milan. The club will also need to keep the wage bill in mind and remain within the bounds of Financial Fair Play regulations.

Of course, Lionel Messi's departure will help in this regard, but it's fair to assume that Hakimi is "one of the players who could potentially be sold" if an offer comes in that is "similar to what PSG paid for him," in this particular case to Inter.

One thing that PSG will need to consider if they opt for selling Hakimi or any other torchbearer of the squad, though, is the impact of selling them on the team's harmony. Kylian Mbappe is seen as the leader of the squad and has a close relationship with the Moroccan, so any potential transfer will need to take into account personal relationships within the team.

Chelsea were interested in Hakimi before he joined PSG, but it is "unclear if they are still pursuing him," wrote Johnson. Given their recent track record in the transfer market, it would not be surprising if his name has come up in discussions, although it'd also make sense for them to just slow down their acquisitions a bit after breaking the market through the winter transfer window (and what is yet to come).

As Johnson also pointed out, though, it is "hard to imagine" Hakimi accepting a move to a club that will most probably miss out on qualifying for the Champions League were he to move to Chelsea while currently on an ever-UCL-playing PSG team.

Interestingly, Johnson also mentioned Gianluigi Donnarumma as "another player who could attract a substantial bid," reasoning that he has not had the best of seasons in Paris and that might lead PSG to think about selling the goalkeeper soon too.