By Betsefy
Manchester City have completed the signing of defender Manuel Akanji from Borussia Dortmund for a fee believed to be worth up to £16.7m.
The 27-year-old has put pen to paper on a five-year contract with the Premier League champions, keeping him at the Etihad Stadium until the summer of 2027.
Akanji becomes City’s fifth signing of the summer window, following the arrivals of Erling Braut Haaland – his former teammate at Dortmund – Kalvin Phillips, Stefan Ortega and Sergio Gomez.
Speaking to mancity.com on his arrival at the club, Akanji said: “I am delighted to be here, and can’t wait to get started. City have been one of the best teams in Europe over the last few seasons.
“They are brilliant to watch, play an exciting brand of football and compete for trophies year in, year out, so coming here feels like the perfect next step in my career.
“Pep Guardiola is an exceptional manager, and this is an exceptional squad of players, so this is an exciting opportunity for me. I am really looking forward to testing myself in the Premier League and I will do everything I can to help this Club be successful.”
We are delighted to announce we have completed the signing of Manuel Akanji from Borussia Dortmund! ✍️
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— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 1, 2022
The Switzerland international added: “I love the way Manchester City plays. I watch a lot of Premier League and obviously a lot of Manchester City games, because they have been champions many times in recent years.
“I really like the football style the team plays, and I think I can fit perfectly in that style.”
Director of football Txiki Begiristain added: “Manuel has plenty of experience playing at the top level of European football and we are confident he will be a valuable addition to our squad.
“We have been impressed with his performances during his time at Dortmund, where he has developed into a very good defender and one who is ready to perform in both the Premier League and Champions League.
“He has everything we want in a centre-back. He is strong, quick, comfortable in possession, has an excellent passing range and he will complement the other defenders in this team and our style of play.”
More to follow.
