Manuel Obafemi Akanji

Manuel Obafemi Akanji is a Swiss centre-back born in Neftenbach on 19 July 1995, known for composure in possession and recovery defending. He developed at FC Wiesendangen and FC Winterthur, making his senior breakthrough in the Swiss Challenge League. Akanji joined FC Basel in 2015, recovered from a serious knee injury and helped the club win domestic honours. Borussia Dortmund signed him in January 2018, and he became a regular across more than four seasons in Germany. Manchester City brought Akanji to England in September 2022, where his positional flexibility allowed him to play centrally, at full-back and in midfield during build-up. He contributed throughout City's 2022–23 treble-winning campaign through defensive reading, recovery pace and secure distribution. Internationally, Akanji has represented Switzerland at major tournaments, combining physical defending with the calm decision-making required in possession-heavy teams.