- Five-year contract signed
- Excited to work with Guardiola
- Greater depth at centre-half
WHAT OCCURED? The 27-year-old has agreed to terms with the reigning Premier League champions on a five-year deal that will run until the summer of 2027. He will add even more depth to a star-studded squad at the Etihad Stadium that already includes Ruben Dias, John Stones, and Aymeric Laporte at centre-half.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Akanji has spent the last four and a half years in Germany, appearing 158 times for Borussia Dortmund. He has 41 caps for Switzerland and will be another experienced option for Pep Guardiola, who has announced that he will wear the No.25 shirt for the Blues.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
Man City
Man City
Man CityWHAT THEY SAID: Akanji has said: “I am delighted to be here and can’t wait to get started. City have been one of the best teams in Europe over the last few seasons. They are brilliant to watch, play an exciting brand of football and compete for trophies year in, year out, so coming here feels like the perfect next step in my career. Pep Guardiola is an exceptional manager and this is an exceptional squad of players, so this is an exciting opportunity for me. I am really looking forward to testing myself in the Premier League and I will do everything I can to help this club be successful.”
WHAT NEXT FOR MAN CITY? The Blues are not expected to be too busy on deadline day, with an unbeaten start to the 2022-23 Premier League season suggesting that they are well placed to defend a domestic crown.
