Man City in talks to sign Borussia Dortmund defender Manuel Akanji in shock £15m transfer

MANCHESTER CITY hope to bolster their defensive options by signing Borussia Dortmund centre back Manuel Akanji.

The two clubs are in talks over a £15million switch for the 27-year-old Swiss international, who has less than 12 months left on his contract in Germany.

Pep Guardiola has four senior centre backs on his books in Ruben Dias, John Stones, Nathan Ake and Aymeric Laporte.

However their start to their title defence has been hit by injuries to Ake and Laporte and goals have been going in at an alarming rate.

City conceded three in the Community Shield against Liverpool and also three at Newcastle earlier this month.

They also shipped three in their friendly at Barcelona last week and found themselves two goals behind at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday.

While Guardiola’s team have the attacking quality to get themselves out of trouble, he has warned they will come unstuck if it keeps happening.

Even so Pep gave little indication anything was imminent in his press conference ahead of Wednesday’s clash with Nottingham Forest.

Asked if they were finished for this transfer window, he said: “I don’t know what will happen.”

Akanji has been linked with a move to Inter but City have swooped and now look set to land their man.

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The defender joined Borussia Dortmund from Basel in 2018 and has since made 158 appearances for the club.

If he joins he will be the sixth new face in Guardiola’s squad for the season ahead – joining Erling Haaland, Julian Alvarez, Kalvin Phillips, Stefan Ortega and Sergio Gomez.