Akanji moves closer to Man Utd transfer as Dortmund sign replacement
Robin Bairner
- 2 May 2022 18:24 BST
- 3 min read
Manuel Akanji’s transfer to Manchester United looks more possible than ever as Borussia Dortmund effectively confirmed they will lose a centre-back this summer by signing Nico Schlotterbeck.
BVB announced the signing of two-time Germany international defender Schlotterbeck from Freiburg on Monday, while Bayern Munich’s Niklas Sule is widely expected to join their ranks in the summer once his deal at the Allianz Arena is up.
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Akanji heading to Man Utd
These deals effectively confirm that Dortmund are preparing to lose at least one defender in the summer, with the player having been closely linked with a move to Man Utd for some weeks.
The 26-year-old has been a regular defensive performer for Dortmund this season, having initially signed for the club from Basel in 2018. He has since gone on to play on over 150 occasions for the Bundesliga side.
Favourably compared to Manchester City legend Vincent Kompany for the manner in which he distributes the ball from defence, either with it at his feet or via long, accurate passes.
Meanwhile, he has caught the attention of Giorgio Chiellini, one of the most storied defenders of the era. Speaking in 2021, the European champion told RSI: “Akanji has always intrigued me because he's not yet the finished article. He's still got a little way to go but, for me, he's now nearing an age where he can really hit his peak.”
Akanji has played virtually every minute of Bundesliga football for Dortmund this season when available, missing only eight games because of injury over two periods. In total, he has played 34 times this season for BVB and has scored one goal.
Out of contract in 2023, there’s an increasingly strong chance that Akanji will leave for Manchester United, who could complete a transfer for around €27 million.
