Manuel Akanji has confirmed he spoke with AC Milan before choosing Inter last summer, and now the Swiss defender wants to reward that decision with a contract extension as Inter push for silverware in the final weeks of the season.
Inter Milan defender Manuel Akanji has confirmed his desire to remain at the club beyond his current contract, revealing in an interview with Inter’s official website that he turned down a summer 2025 approach from city rivals AC Milan before opting for the Nerazzurri. Speaking as the season enters its decisive phase, Akanji said his first year in Milan has been everything he had hoped for, and he is eager to formalise that in a new deal once the trophy races are settled.
The 30-year-old Swiss international told Inter’s media that the club and coaching staff made the transition straightforward. “The team and coach made it very easy for me to fit in. I feel great playing here in both positions, both in midfield and on the right in a back three. I’ve had a really great season, and we’ll try to finish it strong,” he said. He confirmed contract talks will follow soon but insisted his present focus is entirely on performing well and helping the team win the trophies still available this campaign. Fans following top European action can check the Bet9ja’s current promo code before staking on Inter’s upcoming fixtures.
The Milan Derby Twist
Akanji’s admission that he held direct talks with AC Milan before signing for Inter adds a pointed layer to a deal that had appeared straightforward at the time. “I spoke to Milan in the summer, but I thought Inter was a better fit for me, and I’d say it worked out. My agent negotiated with the club, and it was better for me to come here,” he said. His verdict, delivered with confidence rather than diplomacy, is an implicit endorsement of Inter’s project and their head coach Simone Inzaghi.
Akanji moved to Inter in the summer of 2025 after his time at Manchester City, where he had won the Premier League title and built a reputation as one of European football’s more reliable central defenders. The versatility he mentioned, comfortable both in a central role and on the right of a back three, has made him a natural fit for Inzaghi’s system. His adaptation to Serie A has been smoother than some anticipated for a player arriving from the Premier League. Fans keen to bet on Inter’s title push can find information at the Bet9ja booking code page ahead of the fixture against Torino.
The Nigerian Heritage Angle
For followers of Nigerian football, Akanji’s rise carries a particular resonance. Though Swiss by nationality and career path, his father is Nigerian, placing him among a growing number of elite European footballers with direct Nigerian heritage. His success at Inter alongside the trajectory of players like Ademola Lookman at Atletico Madrid reflects how widely Nigerian footballing DNA has spread through European club football at the highest level. The FootballInNigeria.com.ng community has tracked Akanji’s development with genuine interest because of that connection. New Bet9ja users wanting to stake on Serie A this week can use Bet9ja’s YOHAIG welcome bonus when creating an account.
📌 Did You Know?
- Manuel Akanji was born on July 19, 1995, in Wiesendangen, Switzerland, and has a Nigerian father, giving him a direct personal connection to African football alongside his senior international career with the Swiss national team.
- Akanji made his breakthrough at FC Basel before Borussia Dortmund signed him in January 2018, and he spent four and a half years in the Bundesliga before Manchester City brought him to England in September 2022 for roughly 17 million euros.
- At Manchester City under Pep Guardiola, Akanji won back-to-back Premier League titles and demonstrated the tactical intelligence and positional versatility that has since made him a natural for Inter’s back-three system under Inzaghi.
- Inter Milan’s tactical setup under Inzaghi has been one of the most consistently effective in Serie A over the past three seasons, built around a disciplined 3-5-2 that rewards exactly the kind of intelligent, positionally aware central defenders that Akanji represents.
- AC Milan and Inter share the San Siro stadium, making their rivalry unusually intimate by European football standards, and Akanji’s public confirmation that he chose Inter over Milan adds an intriguing footnote to this season’s derby encounters.
- Switzerland, where Akanji has won over 50 international caps, has been one of Europe’s most consistent overachievers at major tournaments, reaching the knockout rounds of four consecutive World Cups despite being ranked below many wealthier European nations.
- Akanji’s contract extension discussions are expected to happen in May or June 2026, and his public declaration of commitment substantially reduces the risk that Inter lose him on a free transfer, which had been a background concern given the strength of interest from other clubs.
