Man City get Manuel Akanji boost ahead of Champions League start

Manuel Akanji could make his Manchester City debut as early as Tuesday after returning to the club following leave for the birth of his child.

Akanji, 27, had not played for Dortmund this season when he made his deadline day switch and his first session with Pep Guardiola's first team squad was interrupted when his wife went into labour with their second child. The Swiss defender subsequently missed the Premier League game at Aston Villa on Saturday and trained alone on Sunday after returning to Manchester when the rest of the team had already trained.

City are training in Manchester on Monday morning ahead of travelling to Sevilla and Guardiola expects to be able to take Akanji with him for their first Champions League game. The manager says his new defender is ready to be involved. And while a start looks unlikely Akanji could come off the bench for his first minutes with his new club given five substitutions are available in each match.

Also read: Man City players take Guardiola instruction too far at Aston Villa

And while a start looks unlikely, Akanji could come off the bench for his first minutes with his new club given five substitutions are available in each match. Guardiola hinted as much after the Villa game.

"He feels good," he said. "He could not be here because he had a baby so congratulations to him and his wife and family, but he’s ready — he came back really well from Dortmund."

Akanji was an unexpected bit of business for City at the end of the transfer window after they concluded that £15m was a good price to get experienced cover for a group of defenders who all had periods out with injury last season. Nathan Ake returned in the 1-1 draw with Villa but replaced Kyle Walker, who limped off.

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