Manuel Akanji questions loyalty after Manchester City exit

​Manuel Akanji has opened up on his late summer loan move from Manchester City to Inter Milan, admitting it was a stressful but necessary decision for his career and family.

The Swiss defender, who joined City from Borussia Dortmund in 2018, suddenly found himself down the pecking order once all of Pep Guardiola’s centre-backs were fit.

He revealed that the switch to Italy was agreed in the final moments of the transfer window, which made the transition difficult at home. “It was stressful at first because everything happened at the last minute. My wife and children are central. Luckily, we had discussed everything thoroughly beforehand,” he told Swiss outlet SRF.

Now a father of three, Akanji described this as his toughest move yet and praised his wife, saying none of it would be possible without her, as her daily life is “more stressful” than his, especially mentally.

After not playing early in the season, he began exploring options and did not hide his frustration with how loyalty works in football.

“Clubs often demand loyalty from their players, but they don’t always offer it themselves,” he said, adding that players sometimes must make “selfish decisions” to protect their careers.

With his City contract running to 2027, he admits there are many questions about his future but insists his full focus is now on Inter.
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