Krishnan Sreekumar
Transfer News: Borussia Dortmund defender Manuel Akanji considering Premier League move amid Manchester United interest
According to German outlet Sport1 (h/t The Sun), defender Manuel Akanji is ready to quit Borussia Dortmund and seek a move to the Premier League, in a transfer boost for Manchester United who are keen on signing him this summer.
The 26-year-old has been the first-choice centre-back for the Bundesliga club over the past couple of seasons, impressing at the back and proving to be a solid defender for Dortmund as they battle Bayern Munich for supremacy in Germany.
His displays for Switzerland and Dortmund have caught the eye of United, who are looking to beef up their rearguard at the end of the season given how poor their current crop of defenders has been this term.
Apart from the Red Devils, more clubs from England are thought to be interested in securing Akanji’s signature, although they are unnamed as of now. It will not be an easy path to sign the player, that is for sure, considering he is in the prime physical years of his career and has shown his quality for club and country.
Cash in on Akanji
After spending nearly four years in the Bundesliga, it is said that Akanji is eager to take the “next step” in his career by heading to the Premier League. The English top-flight is arguably the best competition in Europe, with its fast-paced and physical nature proving to be an attractive feature for some of the world’s best talents.
With the Swiss player’s contract expiring in the summer of 2023, Dortmund are willing to cash in on their defender and let Akanji leave this summer rather than lose him for free in 12 months. Despite starting talks over a new contract, there has not been any progress, and the club are prepared to let him go for a price around £25m at the end of the season.
United seem to be heavily investing in improving their defence since the end of the previous campaign, having signed Raphael Varane from Real Madrid last summer, and now targeting Akanji when the upcoming summer transfer window opens.
Despite the signing of Varane, our defence has still looked shaky and unstable at times. Club captain Harry Maguire is the worst pick of the bunch, with the skipper unable to contain stronger opposition players who breeze past him like he isn’t there.
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Varane and Victor Lindelof haven’t been great either, although it has looked at times a more stable defence when the two pair together at the back. That being said, Maguire had a good international break with England and came back strong for the club against Leicester City last night, and perhaps we may see a revival in his form towards the end of the season.
However, Maguire’s good form is not enough to make our defensive play air-tight, and a new signing will need to be looked at. Akanji’s performances in Europe for club and country have been impressive, and it remains to be seen if the English side will take a punt on him in the summer or not.
