New Manchester City signing Manuel Akanji has revealed he was a Manchester United fan growing up but doesn't support the Red Devils anymore after reaching a "certain level" as a player.
The 27-year-old made the £15million switch to the Etihad Stadium from Borussia Dortmund on deadline day - becoming Pep Guardiola's fifth and final signing of the summer. He followed Dortmund teammate Erling Haaland to City, with Kalvin Phillips, Stefan Ortega and Julian Alvarez also making the move as Guardiola shuffled the pack.
Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling both departed the club to join Arsenal and Chelsea respectively, with Guardiola refreshing his squad, especially in the attacking positions. But Akanji has come in to bolster the back-line with John Stones and Aymeric Laporte currently out injured.
Akanji made his City debut in their 4-0 win over Sevilla in the Champions League this week, starting alongside Ruben Dias. With City facing Manchester United in under three weeks' time, Akanji may also be needed for the Manchester derby. But does he support United?
As per Blick Sport, he said: "I said I was a Manchester United fan growing up, but that when you reach a certain level as a player, you're no longer a fan, because you play against such clubs and you don't support this club like you did.
"I was then also asked what my goal was. I said I would eventually play for the best club in the world. From this, it was concluded I considered Manchester United to be the best club in the world and I really wanted to play [for them] one day, which I never said..."
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Akanji added: "When I came to FC Basel, I played in the Champions League and against Manchester United. When the idols became rivals, I got to a point where I stopped being a fan and wanted to do my own job well enough to beat teams like Manchester United."
After City's win in Sevilla, Guardiola praised Akanji for his start to life in Manchester. "We are delighted, just one day and a half in training," Guardiola said on September 6. "He showed in Dortmund his experience in Europe. A really good central defender that City bought to us.
"He did really well, his focus, attention. I see a quality quite similar to Aymer, he can break the lines with a pass. he read the spaces really well. I am very pleased for him."
Akanji could make his City home debut on Wednesday night when they host his former side Borussia Dortmund, as could Haaland, who has scored 10 times in all competitions since his move.
