Galatasaray have made a number of high-profile acquisitions in the transfer market over the past few seasons, and they have already secured the services of Victor Osimhen and Leroy Sane this summer. Now, Fabrizio Romano is reporting that Okan Buruk is looking to add more world-class pedigree to his squad in the form of Manchester City’s Manuel Akanji, who was an unused substitute on the opening day of the Premier League season.
Galatasaray Interested in Signing Manuel Akanji
How Advanced Are Negotiations?
The move is only just beginning to materialise as the Lions have merely “approached” the Citizens, citing Akanji as a “potential target” in the centre of defence. There is no indication as to what transfer fee Pep Guardiola’s side may demand for the Swiss international, but he has two years left on his contract and is valued at around £24 million by Transfermarkt.
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The Turkish giants have also made contact with Akanji’s agents, and Turkish journalist Yağız Sabuncuoğlu is reporting that they are set to fly to Istanbul this week to undergo initial discussions over personal terms. If a move to Türkiye was to materialise, the 30-year-old would be competing with the likes of former Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Davinson Sanchez and Abdülkerim Bardakci for a spot in the starting XI.
Should City Keep Akanji?
Since the Cityzens’ flurry of activity early in the window, which saw them bring in four new first-team players, Guardiola has been insistent on his desire to trim the size of City’s squad. Currently, the Manchester giants have six senior centre-backs on their books, including Akanji. In addition to this, they also have two highly-promising young centre-backs out on loan in the form of Vitor Reis and Juma Bah, who will further strengthen the ranks in the centre of defence in the long run.
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However, the Swiss international has been a fairly dependable performer at the Etihad Stadium for three years as he has made a staggering 136 appearances in that period. He was an integral part of City’s historic treble-winning 2022/23 season, starting in both the FA Cup and the Champions League finals and being described as “perfect” by his manager. His good injury record has been particularly important given that two of City’s other centre-backs, John Stones and Nathan Ake, are relatively injury-prone. Ultimately, it is likely that City will employ their signature policy of allowing the player to leave only if he expresses a desire to do so.
How Advanced Are Negotiations?
The move is only just beginning to materialise as the Lions have merely “approached” the Citizens, citing Akanji as a “potential target” in the centre of defence. There is no indication as to what transfer fee Pep Guardiola’s side may demand for the Swiss international, but he has two years left on his contract and is valued at around £24 million by Transfermarkt.
Read More:Manchester City Set to Lose ‘Special’ Young Attacker Following Surprise Player Decision
The Turkish giants have also made contact with Akanji’s agents, and Turkish journalist Yağız Sabuncuoğlu is reporting that they are set to fly to Istanbul this week to undergo initial discussions over personal terms. If a move to Türkiye was to materialise, the 30-year-old would be competing with the likes of former Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Davinson Sanchez and Abdülkerim Bardakci for a spot in the starting XI.
Should City Keep Akanji?
Since the Cityzens’ flurry of activity early in the window, which saw them bring in four new first-team players, Guardiola has been insistent on his desire to trim the size of City’s squad. Currently, the Manchester giants have six senior centre-backs on their books, including Akanji. In addition to this, they also have two highly-promising young centre-backs out on loan in the form of Vitor Reis and Juma Bah, who will further strengthen the ranks in the centre of defence in the long run.
Read More:Manchester City Plotting Move for ‘Special’ Savinho Replacement
However, the Swiss international has been a fairly dependable performer at the Etihad Stadium for three years as he has made a staggering 136 appearances in that period. He was an integral part of City’s historic treble-winning 2022/23 season, starting in both the FA Cup and the Champions League finals and being described as “perfect” by his manager. His good injury record has been particularly important given that two of City’s other centre-backs, John Stones and Nathan Ake, are relatively injury-prone. Ultimately, it is likely that City will employ their signature policy of allowing the player to leave only if he expresses a desire to do so.