“We’re not happy” — Manuel Akanji reveals Manchester City’s lofty end-of-season ambitions

Manuel Akanji has revealed the expectations in the Manchester City squad as the ‘business end’ of the season gets underway.

Akanji has nearly won it all since joining Manchester City for a reported fee of £15 million on the deadline of the 2022 summer transfer window, securing a medal in the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, UEFA Supercup, and the FIFA Club World Cup.

Despite being viewed as squad depth signing, the former Borussia Dortmund man quickly cemented himself as a key man in the team, making 48 appearances across all competitions — one of Pep Guardiola’s most used players.

But that hasn’t dimmed the ambition of the Swiss international, or any of his City teammates. Heading into the dying months of the campaign, Akanji says expectations in the dressing room remain as high as ever.

“We’re not happy if we finish second in the league or as runner-up in the Champions League,” Akanji said in a recent interview with GQ.

“We want to be there, we want to fight for these titles, and (Pep Guardiola) brings that mentality to us.

“It’s also that we have a lot of good players. Everyone’s trying to be in the starting XI. It’s healthy competition. When you’re on the pitch, you give it your best, so you can play in the next game.”

Next up for Akanji and his mates is a crunch Premier League showdown with current league leaders Arsenal at the Etihad, a fixture which Manchester City have dominated for nearly a decade.

But having lost to Mikel Arteta’s side in the reverse fixture earlier in the campaign, the Etihad outfit will likely have their guard up when they welcome the Londoners to Manchester on Sunday.

Arsenal come into the tussle with a one-point advantage in the title race, with Manchester City and Liverpool level on points just behind the Emirates side.

But having won the lion’s share of their Premier League title races under Pep Guardiola, City should be confident as the season begins to wind down and the magnitude of each game ramps up.