Manchester City loanee Manuel Akanji has commented on leaving Pep Guardiola's team for Inter Milan in the summer.
Akanji joined the Cityzens from Borussia Dortmund in 2022 for a fee around £15m, and the Swiss star was a vital component of that season's Champions League success.
Having featured 136 times across his three seasons in Manchester, the 30-year-oldjoined Inter on loan for the 2025-26 season, with the possibility of moving to the Nerazzurri permanently.
According to reports, the Italian top-flight club, managed by Christian Chivu, can make the deal permanent for €15m (£13.3m), though that can only be triggered if the Nerazzurri reclaim the Scudetto and Akanji plays in 50% of their league minutes.
Inter are currently top of the Serie A table, albeit level on 24 points with Roma, two ahead of AC Milan and Napoli and three ahead of Bologna in fifth.
Nevertheless, the Swiss defender has addressed his move to San Siro in the summer of 2026.
Inter or Man City: Akanji drops major transfer hint
Manuel Akanji of Inter Milan - September 30, 2025
Akanji spoke on his sadness of leaving Manchester, especially since he could not say a proper goodbye, but reiterated his commitment to his current club.
“When I left Manchester City, I organised a farewell dinner, it was really nice,” said the Swiss defender via Manchester Evening News. “I haven’t been able to say goodbye to all the staff yet, but who knows what will happen next summer. As things stand, I’d love to stay at Inter.
“I feel very good. The hardest part of settling in was sorting everything out for the kids, but we’re comfortable now," he said.
"Italian football is a bit different from the English game, but I’ve adapted well, it helps when you play regularly. The team welcomed me warmly, things are going great, we’re top of the table and we want to stay there.”
Have Manchester City missed Manuel Akanji?
Manchester City's Ruben Dias on June 26, 2025
Akanji's absence is unquestionably a significant issue for City, especially given his versatility and past reliability in the squad, having played at centre-back, right-back and further forward in midfield.
Nevertheless, the current squad still offers a strong range of options at centre-back, so the impact may be less severe than at other clubs.
Man City's centre-back options include Ruben Dias, John Stones and Nathan Ake, providing a reliable backbone, while Josko Gvardiol can operate centrally or on the left.
The young talents of Abdukodir Khusanov and Rico Lewis also provide cover, with the latter often featuring at full-back or in midfield under Guardiola.
Although Akanji's contributions are missed, the club retains enough defensive quality to remain competitive.
ID:585707:1false2false3false: from db desktop :LenBod:collect4749: