Manuel Akanji left out: Manchester City loan former BVB star to top club | OneFootball

Three years ago, Swiss player Manuel Akanji transferred from Borussia Dortmund to the Premier League. Since then, he has played a significant role at Manchester City, contributing decisively to two league titles, a cup victory, and the 2023 Champions League win. However, City’s coach Pep Guardiola no longer sees a role for him. Akanji is moving to Italy on loan.

The central defender made an impressive 119 appearances in the Bundesliga for BVB, having joined them in 2018 from FC Basel, where he had won the Swiss double. In Dortmund, he added a DFB-Pokal title in 2021. However, when faced with competition from Nico Schlotterbeck and Niklas Süle in central defense, he chose to seek opportunities elsewhere. Manchester City, one of the top international clubs, showed interest, a team generally ranked above BVB in sporting terms.

The initial enthusiasm for his performance at Manchester City, when Guardiola praised the Swiss player in his typically high regard, has since faded. He was even sidelined before this season and was not slated for playing time.

Photo: IMAGO

Akanji to Face Former Club BVB with Inter Milan

To remain active, Manuel Akanji accepted the offer from Inter Milan to join the Nerazzurri on loan. At last season's Italian runner-up, he will play not only in Serie A but also in the Champions League.

The recent draw for the league phase revealed that Inter Milan will be one of Borussia Dortmund's eight opponents. As the last of the eight drawn clubs, Inter Milan will face BVB on January 28, 2026, bringing Akanji back to his old club, Signal Iduna Park, and BVB fans—provided Akanji is fielded.

Reportedly, Inter Milan is paying only one million euros as a loan fee for the Swiss player’s services. By agreeing to this loan, he increases his chances of regular playtime, which is also positive for the Swiss national team. They will soon face Kosovo and Slovenia, where the newly nominated Manuel Akanji will reunite with BVB goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.