It always seemed likely that at least one of Manchester City’s senior centre-backs would leave the Etihad Stadium this summer, but it has taken until deadline day for the move to be completed.
Going into the transfer window, Manuel Akanji was probably not the central defender that most people expected to leave, though there has been intense speculation about his future over the past fortnight.
Manuel Akanji To Join Inter Milan On Loan
Fabrizio Romano has given his famous “here we go” seal of approval with regard to Manuel Akanji joining Inter Milan on loan.
The Swiss defender will move to the San Siro on an initial loan deal. The Italian side are paying a fee of roughly £1.7 million and are covering “part” of the defender’s salary.
There is also an option for the deal to be made permanent for just under £13 million. This option to buy clause will reportedly turn into an obligation to buy clause should Inter win the Serie A, whilst Akanji plays at least 50% of their games.
After starting his career at FC Winterthur, the defender went on to play 58 times for FC Basel.
Impressive performances for the Swiss giants earned him a move to the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund. He spent four-and-a-half seasons at Signal Iduna Park, making 158 appearances and winning the German Cup and German Super Cup.
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City signed Akanji in September 2022, and he proved to be an instant success for the Cityzens.
The centre-back played 48 games in all competitions as City won a historic treble in his first year in England. The following campaign saw him play an additional 48 games as the Cityzens became the first side to win the Premier League four times in a row.
Unfortunately, Akanji’s performance levels slightly dropped last campaign as City endured what was arguably their worst season under Guardiola.
Will Akanji Be A Big Miss For Manchester City?
Heading into the summer, many fans and pundits thought that one of Akanji, John Stones and Nathan Aké would leave the club. The Swiss international is the only one of the trio who is not homegrown, which may have put him at a disadvantage.
During his time at the Etihad Stadium, Akanji showed tremendous versatility and availability, playing across the entire back four and even in defensive midfield (albeit for very brief periods).
He has made 136 appearances in his three-year stint in Manchester, though the signing of Abdukodir Khusanov in January may have pushed the former Dortmund man down the pecking order.
Additionally, the arrival of Rayan Aït-Nouri from Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier in the summer has freed up Josko Gvardiol to play in his natural central defensive position more often. This means that Guardiola has five high-quality options at centre-back in spite of Akanji’s departure.
The 30-year-old certainly could have offered value to City’s defence. But, Guardiola and co. are thinking with the long-term in mind and looking to prioritise game time for City’s younger defenders, with Stones, Ake and Rúben Dias set to act as the Cityzens’ experienced core.