Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji is on the verge of joining Inter Milan after rejecting two other clubs including Italian rivals AC Milan, it has been revealed.
Akanji is free to leave Man City as part of Pep Guardiola’s squad revamp. Guardiola has tasked the City hierarchy with adding more energy to his ageing squad and offloading several experienced players, with Akanji the latest victim of this process.
Galatasaray were one of the first clubs to come forward for the defender, having a £15million bid accepted by City.
But Akanji rejected their contract offer as he did not want to move to Turkey.
Milan then had a bid of their own worth €15m (£13m) plus add-ons accepted by City, while Tottenham Hotspur made an approach.
However, Akanji snubbed Milan’s advances as he wants to play in the Champions League next season.
With Tottenham deciding to pursue other targets, Inter have swooped in to reach an agreement for the 30-year-old.
Italian journalist Matteo Moretto was the first to reveal that Akanji to Inter is ‘done’.
The two clubs are ‘exchanging documents’ over an initial loan that includes an option to buy worth €15m.
City will receive a €2m (£1.7m) loan fee for Akanji, with Inter set to cover part of his wages.
The €15m buy option will become mandatory if the Swiss star plays at least 50 per cent of Inter’s games, and if the Nerazzurri win the Scudetto this season.
Inter have forged a deal for Akanji amid uncertainty over whether Benjamin Pavard will be staying at the club. Marseille have submitted a loan-to-buy offer for Pavard and are in active negotiations with Inter.
Akanji looks set to come up against his former City team-mate Kevin De Bruyne this term, with the attacking midfielder having joined Napoli earlier this summer.
Jack Grealish, James McAtee, Kyle Walker, Callum Doyle and Scott Carson are just some of the other players who have left City.
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