Before his £15 million move to the Eithad, few fans had heard of Manuel Akanji, but Erling Haaland knew all about the defender's talent.
He arrived from Borussia Dortmund for a low fee, has made an immediate impact in the Manchester City lineup, and is already regarded as one of the best signings of the summer.
Manuel Akanji arrived late at the Etihad Stadium, but the £15 million ($17 million) signing from Signal Iduna Park is already proving to be one of the smartest deals of the previous transfer window.
Indeed, Pep Guardiola has described Akanji as a "gift for a manager," and he and his coaching staff have been impressed by how quickly he picks up complex tactical instructions.
Some players take more than a year to learn the Catalan system. So far, Akanji has blended in seamlessly.
Of course, superstar striker Erling Haaland is dominating the headlines - and rightly so, given that the Norwegian has already scored 20 goals in the 2022-23 season.
However, Haaland is the final, albeit highly effective, cog in a sublime football machine that works flawlessly due to the efficacy of all of its parts.
It all starts at the back, where Akanji has emerged as the fifth of five centre-backs tasked with defending high up the pitch while also being comfortable enough on the ball to initiate and dictate attacks.
