It’s a Very Newsy Friday if you’re a Tottenham Hotspur fan. One of the little tidbits of info comes from the Daily Mail’s northwest football correspondent (and also a certain other social media journalist but let’s go with the Mail for now), and states that Tottenham have made a late approach for £15m-rated Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji.
Akanji is linked with both Crystal Palace (most likely in the event that someone swoops for Marc Guehi) and AC Milan (who reportedly have agreed a fee with City
but have not agreed personal terms). Akanji, 30, is a Swiss international who I could’ve sworn was six years younger than he actually is. He has yet to play a minute for City this season but had over 2000 minutes last year, playing as a central defender and also occasionally as a right back. He’s got a bit of a wand of a right foot, as evident by his FBRef bars — he’s certainly not afraid to pass out from the back and is actually quite good at it, which makes him a decent fit as a rotation option for Thomas Frank’s tactics.
Targeting Akanji, who can deputize at right back if needed, also suggests Frank and Spurs think that Djed Spence is just a left back now, and they’re now looking for additional right back cover. Akanji is currently on about £180k/wk at City which is a lot for what is ostensibly a 4th CB position, fighting with Radu Dragusin for minutes, but maybe Spurs think that a short term deal on high wages is perfectly fine, or perhaps he’s willing to take a pay cut. Either way, this is the kind of defender Spurs should be looking at as a reserve CB — older, experienced, able to step in as needed but not the kind to kick up a fuss if they don’t get regular minutes. Basically “Ben Davies but better.” Signing Akanji probably also means we’re taking the long view on Kota Takai, which also is fine.
Akanji is reportedly one of three CBs Tottenham are targeting in the window, and we don’t know who the other two are. If Fabio Paratici has taken the wheel in the transfer war room, then we might not end up signing Akanji at all, but I’m perfectly okay with this kind of rumor. He’s a solid enough player and the kind of dude who can definitely do a job.
It’s not the Manchester City player we WANTED to sign, but it’d still be a pretty decent addition.
