Borussia Dortmund have announced the signing of FC Basel defender Manuel Akanji on a five-and-a-half-year deal until June 2022.
The Bundesliga giants have reportedly shelled out in the region of £18m to sign Akanji, who was briefly linked with a move to Liverpool before they signed Virgil van Dijk.
Akanji, 22, impressed during the Champions League group stage for Basel and played an integral part in their qualification to the knockout phase of the competition.
“Manuel has set his sights on several European top clubs and we are happy that he has chosen us,” Dortmund’s sporting director Michael Zorc told the club’s official website.
“He has proven in the national team and in the Champions League that he can play at the highest European level. Nevertheless, we see him as a defender, who has further development potential.”
Akanji is ineligible to feature in the knockout phase of the Champions League for Dortmund this season but should prove a stellar signing in the seasons to come.
In fact, Akanji finished in the WhoScored team of the round in Group A of the Champions League (7.20 rating).
