Tottenham make approach to Manchester City over centre-back signing | OneFootball

Manchester City are now on the receiving end of yet another approach from Tottenham, this time concerning the future of a centre-back late in the market.

Spurs’ latest move comes amid a hectic final stretch of the transfer window, with Thomas Frank’s side keen to reinforce their backline following interest elsewhere in their own squad, and after disappointment in recruiting elsewhere in their side.

The north London club have been actively exploring centre-back options in recent days, with Manuel Akanji emerging as one of their latest targets following frustration in other pursuits such as Bayer Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapié.

This development continues a busy summer for the Switzerland international, whose future has been under increasing discussion in recent weeks. Reports have already linked Akanji with interest from Galatasaray, Crystal Palace, and Bayer Leverkusen, while City have remained open to exploring suitable proposals.

The player himself had most recently rejected an offer from Turkey, with reigning champions Galatasaray unable to meet his salary expectations despite a club-to-club agreement being in place.

Akanji’s situation has also been complicated by City’s defensive depth. With Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, John Stones, Nathan Aké, and Abdukodir Khusanov all competing for minutes, the Swiss international’s role is not as secure as it once was. As a result, the club have been willing to listen to offers.

According to the information of Fabrizio Romano, Tottenham have now made an approach to Manchester City for central defender Akanji – making him one of three names on their shortlist for the position.

Elsewhere, it is reminded that Italian giants AC Milan remain in talks over a move for the Switzerland international and are ready to pay a £15 million transfer fee for the player, but are also still in talks over personal terms.

For City, a late-window sale of Akanji would not be entirely unexpected. The club are confident in their other defensive options, while also remaining in the market for other exits as Guardiola continues to eye a trimming down of his squad numbers.

Elsewhere, Manchester City’s links with highly-rated young talents and potential future additions underline the strategy of maintaining balance within the squad while creating space for younger arrivals like Reis – currently on loan at Girona – to develop later on down the line.

For Tottenham, securing Akanji would represent not just added depth, but also proven Premier League quality at a time when their defensive set-up has faced scrutiny. Thomas Frank himself will be aware of the need for a reliable backline to support his attacking style, and Akanji’s versatility could prove appealing given his experience both centrally and at full-back.

Should Spurs accelerate talks and Milan continue to press, Manchester City could be faced with a decision that reshapes their central defensive options before the transfer deadline.

Much may also depend on Manuel Akanji himself, who has been deliberate in his consideration of offers so far, prioritising both financial terms and competitiveness of the project put forward.