MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester City has secured defensive cover by signing center back Manuel Akanji from Borussia Dortmund for 17.5 million euros ($17.5 million) on Thursday.
City has a glut of center backs in the squad, with Akanji joining Ruben Dias, John Stones, Aymeric Laporte and Nathan Ake as options for Pep Guardiola. Laporte and Ake are currently out injured.
The 27-year-old Akanji, who has played 41 times for Switzerland, joined on a five-year deal as City’s fifth signing of the transfer window, after former Dortmund teammate Erling Haaland, Kalvin Phillips, Stefan Ortega Moreno and Sergio Gomez. Julian Alvarez also arrived from River Plate in a deal arranged in January.
“(City) 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,” Akanji said.
He joined Dortmund from Basel in 2018.
City director of football Txiki Begiristain said Akanji would be a “valuable addition to our squad.”
“He has everything we want in a center back,” Begiristain said. “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.”
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