PSG’s Hakimi Faces Competition as Mukiele Impresses in Right-Back Role

After a good performance at the 2022 World Cup with Morocco, the Moroccan full-back and French team star Kylian Mbappé had been granted a few days off, after their hasty return to the club. The two friends were spotted in New York, then in Morocco. On Thursday, they resumed training.

During their absence, the Parisian club played two matches, during which Hakimi’s replacement, Nordi Mukiele, stood out in the right-back position. Against Angers (2-0), Wednesday, the former RB Leipzig player even delivered two assists. This has led some observers to say that he would be a real threat to the Moroccan.

Moreover, the club’s coach, Christophe Galtier, did not skimp on the praise for the 25-year-old player. "He is more than a backup. He has the ability to be very versatile, to be able to play in central defense or on the right in a three or four-man defense. The fact that Achraf participated in the World Cup and went far in the competition means that he deserves to recover," he said.

And he added: "Nordi has raised his level of play. He is in very good physical condition. In this organization, we need to have very high and very aggressive wing-backs, who bring real added value on the offensive level. In this sense, he is doing very well at the moment. It is a big advantage for me, the coach, but also for the team to have players like Nordi and Achraf on the side."