Akanji on Stones’ Transition to Inter: He’s in the Right Place
The jump from the Premier League to Serie A is never just about changing shirts. It means changing habits, angles, distances, even how you breathe in a back line. For John Stones, it also means stepping into Cristian Chivu’s demanding defensive system at Inter – and he already has a goal in pre-season against Real Betis to show for it.
Manuel Akanji knows exactly what that shift feels like. He made it himself.
“Physically, you come from the Premier League already very well-prepared. Tactically, however, it’s different,” the Swiss defender told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “I played with Stones at City in a back four, and I had to adapt. For me, it happened quite quickly, and I know John: he can do everything and he won’t have any problems either. Obviously, he’ll need help from his teammates and staff, but he’s ended up in the right place.”
From Manchester to Milan, with a stop in Ibiza
Akanji isn’t just offering kind words from afar. At 31, he has taken personal responsibility for easing Stones into the Inter world – the training ground, the dressing room, the city.
The two built a strong bond at Manchester City. That relationship has simply been relocated, with Akanji now acting as guide, translator and everyday sounding board as Stones learns Italian football’s nuances and Inter’s specific demands.
And it all came together in the most unexpected way.
“It was funny because just a few hours before his arrival was confirmed, my wife and I met his wife on the beach in Ibiza. Pure coincidence,” Akanji revealed. “We’re friends, and we’ve been on holidays together, and she told us: ‘I think we’ll end up coming…’ A few hours later, at home, I saw John’s message.
“Now I’m trying to introduce him to Inter. I explain everything to him; I try to translate; the other day I even took him to a restaurant. But he’s a great lad; he’ll adapt quickly.”
A chance meeting on a Spanish beach, followed by a message and a move to Milan. From there, the work begins: video sessions, tactical drills, the grind of Appiano Gentile. That is where Stones must learn to live in Inter’s defensive structure rather than the back four he mastered in England.
Inter’s wall grows higher
Stones is not the only reinforcement. Inter’s defensive armoury has thickened again with Benjamin Pavard returning from his loan spell at Marseille, adding another high-level option to an already stacked back line.
For Akanji, that congestion is not a problem. It is the point.
“That’s exactly what we need to compete not only in Italy but also in the Champions League,” he said. “We have a formidable defence, among the best, and a great squad: in every position, there are at least two excellent players. Now we need to integrate the new players into the system, but the competition in training will be high, which will improve everyone.”
Every session at Appiano Gentile becomes an internal trial. Stones fighting for minutes. Pavard back in the mix. Established names refusing to step aside. It is the kind of tension that can harden a team for deep runs in Europe, where one defensive lapse can end a season.
New season, new look, same hunger
Akanji used the summer to reset. Not just physically, but mentally – even turning up with a new hairstyle as a visible sign of a fresh start. At 31, he insists he feels as sharp as ever and ready to launch into another Serie A campaign, starting with Monza.
He did not let the off-season drift away from him.
“I don’t think it will take long to get back to 100%, because I was on holiday for three weeks and, as I normally do, I continued to train,” he explained. “Initially, I did a lot of running and gym work, and since my teammates returned from the tour, we’ve been working together on the pitch. Now I can’t wait to get serious with Monza: another season is a new beginning.”
For Stones, that beginning comes wrapped in a new league, a new language and a new tactical reality. For Akanji, it is a chance to prove that Inter’s defensive line – deep, experienced, and now even more competitive – can carry the club where it wants to go: past domestic dominance and into the heart of the Champions League fight.
