Inter Milan signed Manchester City defender Akanji on the summer window deadline. After the player ended his international match day trip, he gave an exclusive interview to DAZN and talked about multiple topics including transfers.

Today is your official first day at Inter Milan

"I met all my teammates, and I also met the head coach myself. We have only talked on the phone before. Yes, everyone looks very excited, and so do I. I can't wait to start my first game."

Why choose Inter Milan?

"Because this is one of the best clubs in Europe. It's that simple."

Have you paid attention to A before?

"Yes, I've been following football since I was a child. Of course, I can't watch games in all countries, but I've seen most important games."

Is his first jersey from Vieri?

"Yes, it's true! I remember that it might be a coincidence. I have to send my mother a message and ask her to send a photo so that I can show you. Yes, my first jersey was Vieri's jersey. I even think that was before I started playing football. I don't remember it very much, but I remember seeing a photo of me wearing that jersey, and my mother told me. So I have to look for that photo, I don't know why I had that jersey at that time."

What do you think of Italian football?

"Italian football is very beautiful, and we can see it from Inter Milan. They have reached the Champions League final twice in the past three years, which is enough to show that Italian football is very high. I haven't played here yet, so I can't say too much, but from the outside, the game here is very tactical and complicated, and I think I need to adjust my style of playing a little. As I said, the game here is more tactical than England. In England, speed, speed, toughness and fighting are more important. So let's see what will happen."

What are your expectations for this experience?

"I can't wait to meet this new challenge, meet my teammates, play with them, win games, meet new coaching teams, and keep learning. I'm 30 years old, but I think you can always improve in football, learn new things in the country where you play, from your teammates, from your new team."

How to evaluate your style as a defender?

"I feel like a strong guard, very fast, but also very calm when holding the ball. I don't think the decisions I made are stupid. I'm very calm. My style on the court is not particularly radical, I don't fight every time, but help my teammates as much as possible, as a defender should do."

Who was my childhood idol?

"I liked Raul when I was a kid, but as a central defender, I always admire Thiago Silva. I have always paid attention to his career, his achievements are amazing, he has played in many leagues and always maintained a top level. So I think he is one of my favorite defenders."

Do you still watch the game in your spare time?

"I still watch occasionally, but not as much as I was when I was young. I don't watch games now and prefer to spend time with my kids. And when you play football all year round, sometimes I feel tired and don't want to watch games when I get home, especially when I have to play every three days. So I also watch some, but not as often as before. I like to watch other sports, such as American football, tennis, basketball, cricket, F1, almost all sports. But overall, I prefer to play with kids outdoors . "

reunited with former national teammate Sommer

"Sommer sent me a message on the day of the official announcement. Lautaro and Dumfries also contacted me before I joined and asked if I needed help, and they were willing to help. I am very grateful. I have a friend who once played for another team here: R Ronaldo, who also lives in Milan, recommended some restaurants for me, and helped me find an apartment. Of course, the club also gave me a lot of support. "

What is my favorite Italian city?

"I love Italy very much. Although I have never been to Milan, I have always wanted to discover the city and its surroundings. My family is not far from here, so I think Milan might be one of my favorite cities. But when I was young, I often went to Sardinia for vacation with my family, so I also hope to have the opportunity to go there again."

What are your goals?

"It's a bit hard to talk about this now, because I just met you today, so I don't know what the specific expectations are. But obviously the goal is to win the league. When you play for a club like Inter, you want to win the league every year. And the Champions League. They were very close to winning the championship but failed, so I hope it will help the team achieve this year. We'll see how far we can go and see what the season will be like. It's going to be a long season and there will be a lot of tough games. I'm really looking forward to it."

Do you like the Meacha Stadium?

"Love. Of all the stadiums in Europe, I think it definitely ranks in the top five. The atmosphere is great and I already felt it when I played here, so I can't wait to play in front of the fans again."

Do you speak Italian?

"I want to learn. I only know a few words now. But for me, it's harder to say it. I think I can understand a lot, but sometimes I don't know how to answer it. For example, I would say 'good morning', some simple words."

How long will it take to be interviewed in Italian?

"You guys have started to put pressure on me (laughs). I don't know, maybe six months, right? Maybe longer, but I will work hard as soon as possible."