Manchester City centre-back Manuel Akanji is set to join Inter Milan on deadline day after all parties reached an agreement.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Inter Milan have an agreement in place with Manchester City to sign Manuel Akanji. It will be an initial loan deal with an option to buy, which will become an obligation depending on certain conditions.
Akanji made a name for himself at Borussia Dortmund before joining Manchester City in the summer of 2022 in a deal worth €18 million. The 30-year-old has only gone from strength to strength since and has been an integral part of Pep Guardiola’s team.
While the experienced defender prefers playing in the heart of the defence, he has been deployed as a full-back on either side and has done a decent job for the Premier League giants. Last season, he was involved in 40 matches and ended up racking up over 3,100 minutes.
He still has two years left on his deal, but the 30-year-old is now considered surplus to requirements as Josko Gvardiol is expected to play centrally going forward, and they also added Abdukodir Khusanov to their squad in the winter.
Akanji has been linked with a move away since the start of the window, but nothing concrete has happened. Inter Milan entered the race for his signature in recent weeks, and they have finally managed to strike a deal for the Swiss international.
Inter Milan sign Akanji
Inter Milan were keen to add more quality to their backline, with Francesco Acerbi already 37 and Stefan de Vrij 33. They needed a younger alternative, and Akanji fits the bill. With the experience he brings, the Swiss international can slot straight into their starting XI.
After long-drawn negotiations, Inter Milan finally have the green light from Manchester City. They will be paying an initial €2 million loan fee and will cover a part of his wages. They will also have a €15 million buy option for next summer.
However, the purchase option will become mandatory if Akanji ends up playing at least 50% of the games and if Inter Milan end up winning the Serie A this season. With a deal now agreed, the player is expected to undergo a medical in the next hours.