Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji is poised to join Inter Milan on loan.
City manager Pep Guardiola has made no secret of his desire to operate with a smaller squad, and it will at least be trimmed somewhat with the departure of the Switzerland international.
Inter will reportedly pay a €2million loan fee to City as part of a deal that includes a €15m option to make the move permanent. That clause could become mandatory under certain, albeit apparently difficult, conditions.
Akanji joined City from Borussia Dortmund in 2022 and has since made 136 appearances for the club, scoring five goals.
He won the treble in his first season as City lifted the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League, with Akanji’s seven trophies during his time at the Etihad Stadium including a second Premier League crown, the Club World Cup and the UEFA Super Cup.
But he did not feature in any of City’s first three games of the new season, two of which ended in defeat in a difficult start to the Premier League campaign for Guardiola’s men.
The centre-back, who can also operate at both full-back spots, is viewed as a replacement for Inter’s Benjamin Pavard, with the France defender reportedly giving the go-ahead to a return to his homeland to join Marseille.
Akanji is set to become the sixth signing of the transfer window for Inter, who lost their second game of the new season as they were stunned 2-1 by Udinese at San Siro on Sunday.
