Iraqi club Zakho offers national team defender Akam Hashim 1 billion dinars deal

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraqi Premier League side Zakho has opened negotiations with national team defender Akam Hashim, offering him a contract worth about 1 billion Iraqi dinars ahead of the 2026-2027 season. The move comes after stalled transfer talks with Portugal's Porto, prompting Zakho's management to contact the player directly. Hashim entered the radar of European clubs following his performances for Iraq at the World Cup, and the Portugal-based transfer tracking platform Transfer Radar previously reported that Benfica had submitted an official offer for the defender. The platform also said Hashim is currently a free agent. The 25-year-old travelled to Turkey last week with his agent to assess offers from European clubs. Zakho is seeking to build a strong squad for the new season, with the financial package aimed at convincing the player to remain in Iraq.