Akanji

Manchester City have completed the signing of Manuel Akanji from Borussia Dortmund.

- Played: 39 - Goals: 1 - Played: 20 “He has everything we want in a centre-back. 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. [Stefan Ortega Moreno](https://www.mancity.com/players/stefan-ortega-moreno), [Kalvin Phillips](https://www.mancity.com/players/kalvin-phillips), [Sergio Gomez](https://www.mancity.com/players/sergio-gomez) and former Dortmund team-mate [Erling Haaland](https://www.mancity.com/players/erling-haaland) to become our fifth signing of the summer, with Julian Alvarez also arriving following his loan spell with River Plate.

The 27-year-old Switzerland international has signed a five-year deal at the Etihad Stadium and will provide cover in Pep Guardiola's back four.

It suggests that Nathan Ake is more likely to be utilised as a left-back over the coming months. 'He has everything we want in a centre-back. 'It was a bit unexpected in the last stage of the transfer market, but I had no doubts about moving. 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. I'm here to prove myself. The 27-year-old Switzerland international has signed a five-year deal at the Etihad Stadium and will provide cover in

City agreed a deal worth just over £15m with Dortmund on Wednesday to sign defender Akanji ahead of the transfer deadline. Swiss international Akanji had ...

You can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on Sky Sports News. 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. Swiss international Akanji had entered the final year of his contract and was yet to make an appearance for Dortmund this season.

Manuel Akanji has set his sights on winning silverware in England after signing a five-year deal to complete his move to Manchester City from Borussia ...

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. Akanji won two DFB Pokal titles with Dortmund to add to two Swiss titles and the Swiss Cup, and now hopes to add to his medal collection in Manchester. The Premier League champions have paid a reported £17million to land the Switzerland international, who spent four seasons with Dortmund after joining from Basel in 2018.

Akanji becomes City's fifth senior centre-back amid injuries to Aymeric Laporte and Nathan Aké.

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Akanji is City's fifth summer signing after former Dortmund team-mate Erling Haaland, Kalvin Phillips, Sergio Gomez and Stefan Ortega Moreno, while Julian ...

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. Akanji won two DFB Pokal titles with Dortmund to add to two Swiss titles and the Swiss Cup, and now hopes to add to his medal collection in Manchester. The Premier League champions have paid a reported £17million to land the Switzerland international, who spent four seasons with Dortmund after joining from Basel in 2018.

The Premier League champions managed to get a budget deal done for the Switzerland international, who was in the final year of his deal in Germany.

Akanji becomes the Citizens’ fifth signing of the summer following the arrivals of Erling Haaland, Stefan Ortega, Kalvin Phillips and Sergio Gomez. 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. He will wear the No. Akanji won the German Cup in 2020/21 for Dortmund, and played in every minute of Switzerland’s run to the quarter-finals at Euro 2020 last summer. “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.” The 27-year-old reportedly cost an initial £15 million after City pounced on the opportunity to sign the centre-back once he entered the final year of his deal in Germany.

PEP GUARDIOLA has completed his summer spending by snapping up Borussia Dortmund centre back Manuel Akanji for a fee of £15million.The 27-year-old Sw.

“He is strong, quick, comfortable in possession, has an excellent passing range and he will complement the other defenders in this team and our style of play.” “Manuel has plenty of experience playing at the top level of European football and we are confident he will be a valuable addition to our squad.” [Akanji](https://www.thesun.co.uk/who/manuel-akanji/) – who has 41 caps for his country - played 158 games for [Dortmund](https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/team/1250149/borussia-dortmund/) after joining them from Basel in 2018. He follows former team-mate Erling Haaland who agreed to join City in May and has made a spectacular start to life in the Premier League. [Manchester City](https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/team/1196654/manchester-city/) believe they have acquired a top centre-back for a bargain price as he was into the final 12 months of his deal with the German club. And he has signed a five-year deal – keeping him with the champions until summer 2027.

Man City signed Switzerland defender Manuel Akanji on a five-year deal from Borussia Dortmund.

"I am delighted to be here and can't wait to get started. The centre-back, who has featured 41 times for his country and played a key role in their qualification for the World Cup, now links up with former Dortmund team-mate [Nathan Ake](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/all-about/nathan-ake) and [Aymeric Laporte](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/all-about/aymeric-laporte), Guardiola felt the need to strengthen late in the window. [Pep Guardiola](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/all-about/pep-guardiola) 's side during the transfer window, with Haaland, [Julian Alvarez](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/all-about/julian-alvarez), [Kalvin Phillips](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/all-about/kalvin-phillips), [Sergio Gomez](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/all-about/sergio-gomez) and [Stefan Ortega Moreno](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/all-about/stefan-ortega) all signing for the reigning Premier League champions this summer. [Erling Haaland](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/all-about/erling-haaland) following the striker's move to the Etihad Stadium earlier this summer. [Manchester City](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/all-about/manchester-city-fc) defender Manuel Akanji 'made too many mistake' during his time with Borussia Dortmund, according to former City and Liverpool star Didi Hamann.

Manchester City have signed centre-back Manuel Akanji from Borussia Dortmund, it was announced on deadline day.

They are brilliant to watch, play an exciting brand of football and compete for trophies so coming here feels like the perfect next step in my career." - [Switzerland](/football/team?id=475) international will give City boss Pep Guardiola another option in defence, joining centre-backs [Ruben Dias](https://www.espn.co.uk/football/player/_/id/234878/Rúben-Dias), [John Stones](https://www.espn.co.uk/football/player/_/id/157974/John-Stones), [Nathan Ake](https://www.espn.co.uk/football/player/_/id/159248/Nathan-Aké) and [Aymeric Laporte](https://www.espn.co.uk/football/player/_/id/159317/Aymeric-Laporte). [Basel](/football/team/_/id/989/fc-basel) in 2018 and helped them to the DFB Pokal title last year. [Erling Haaland](https://www.espn.co.uk/football/player/_/id/253989/Erling-Haaland), [Kalvin Phillips](https://www.espn.co.uk/football/player/_/id/223453/Kalvin-Phillips), [Sergio Gomez](https://www.espn.co.uk/football/player/_/id/265993/Sergio-Gómez) and [Stefan Ortega](https://www.espn.co.uk/football/player/_/id/151855/Stefan-Ortega) during this window. [Manchester City](/football/team?id=382) have signed centre-back [Manuel Akanji](https://www.espn.co.uk/football/player/_/id/214562/Manuel-Akanji) from [Borussia Dortmund](/football/team?id=124) on a five-year deal, it was announced on Thursday.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola spoke about the arrival of Manuel Akanji and Aymeric Laporte's absence.

That's one of the reasons why we decided to go for Akanji. Guardiola had serious issues at the end of last season with Kyle Walker, John Stones and Ruben Dias all missing crucial weeks of the run-in after being rushed back from injury. "He'll be ready after the international break. We are very pleased they are here and good competition for the central defenders. [City](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/all-about/manchester-city-fc) were not planning to add another centre-half to their ranks this summer as they prioritised other areas of the team. With that contributing to a lack of depth at centre-back, spending £15.1m on Akanji made sense.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola explained the reasoning behind signing Manuel Akanji, while ruling out Aymeric Laporte for up to two months.

He said: “We had the opportunity to bring a player with one year left on his contract, huge experience. “But sometimes… [West Ham](https://theathletic.com/football/team/west-ham-united/) away and [Aston Villa](https://theathletic.com/football/team/aston-villa/), when we had no alternatives and he played with this injury. “We had four incredible centre defenders,” Guardiola said on Friday. “Laporte had a bone problem, but I’m not a doctor.” “He had a knee injury, a tough one.

Several late Premier League transfers were completed on deadline day with Liverpool, Chelsea and Man City all adding to their squads.

Don’t let forwards tempt him into trying to follow them and make a challenge in the channels, because he’s not recovering that ground afterwards. It has been a tough summer for Leicester fans and Wout Faes is the only first-team present they were offered. He is a central player primarily, though BVB also used him on the sides of a three and even at full-back in a four at times...not usually with a positive outcome from the latter, it should be noted. A switch to Fulham, then, will hopefully revitalise this once-exciting youngster; now 29 it remains to be seen how much of his old explosivity and adventurism he can rediscover. He has been a firm backup player over the past few campaigns and only made the bench twice in Ligue 1 last season. Akanji has also, however, been afflicted by concentration issues and error-strewn games - something which has been a Dortmund-wide problem for some time, so perhaps it was more environment or asked-for role than actual skill-set. [Terms of use,](https://www.independent.co.uk/service/user-policies-a6184151.html) [Cookie policy](https://www.independent.co.uk/service/cookie-policy-a6184186.html) and [Privacy notice.](https://www.independent.co.uk/service/privacy-policy-a6184181.html) His passing is good enough to replicate some of Jorginho’s deeper work on the ball too, while being more mobile than the Italian. Another who has left Juventus, the Swiss midfielder signed for Chelsea on loan and will look to rediscover his pre-injury top form. [Privacy policy](https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en) and [Terms of service](https://policies.google.com/terms?hl=en) apply. A Thiago alternative is the most likely use for him initially. He’s not a out-and-out attacker or clever dribbling conduit, but adds guile and final-third running when used in that spot.

Pep Guardiola has said Manchester City were forced into the transfer market to sign Manuel Akanji over fears about Aymeric Laporte's fitness.

"I think maybe after the international break [he could return]. "So we've just had two centre-backs. [John Stones](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/157974/John-Stones) and [Ruben Dias](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/234878/Rúben-Dias) in the last two games against [Crystal Palace](/soccer/team?id=384) and [Nottingham Forest](/soccer/team?id=393) and they are likely to be paired together again for the trip to [Aston Villa](/soccer/team?id=362) on Saturday. Guardiola is not expecting to have Laporte available until after the international break at the end of September but the 28-year-old could possibly return for the home game against [Manchester City](/soccer/team?id=382) were forced into the transfer market to sign [Manuel Akanji](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/214562/Manuel-Akanji) over fears about [Aymeric Laporte](https://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/159317/Aymeric-Laporte)'s fitness. [ completed the €17.5 million signing](/soccer/soccer-transfers/story/4734247/man-city-sign-borussia-dortmunds-manuel-akanji) of Akanji from [Borussia Dortmund](/soccer/team?id=124) on deadline day.

There will be no split allegiances for the Manchester derby on Sunday, October 2 after Akanji's transfer from Dortmund.

Blues fans can be well assured though that there will be no split allegiances on Akanji's part on the day itself. I don't know why that is because I'm not there and don't know what they are training. I'm really looking forward to working with him and the rest of the coaching staff and my teammates." He explained to The combination of the coach and the club is perfect for me. Speaking following his arrival at the Etihad, the 27-year-old said: "I wanted to get better.