Manuel Akanji insists he stopped supporting Manchester United when he joined Borussia Dortmund.

The Switzerland defender joined Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund on deadline day.

Akanji has previously said that he grew up supporting United, but the 27-year-old insists that is no longer the case.

Reminded by Swiss paper Blick that he once called United his favourite club and wanted to play for them, Akanji said: "I gave that interview soon after I joined Dortmund [in 2018] and said I had been a Manchester United fan as a child.

"But I also said that when you reach a certain level as a player, you are no longer a fan - as you end up playing against clubs like that.

"Then you no longer support the club as much as you did during your childhood.

"The second part was a misunderstanding. I was asked what was my ambition - and I said to play for the best club in the world.

"People inferred that I regarded Manchester United as the world's best club, and absolutely wanted to play for them. But I never said anything like this.

"My love for United disappeared when I joined Basel, and played Champions League football against them. My idols became rivals.

"Now the game I'm looking forward to the most is the Manchester derby. To be able to beat United in our home city would be amazing."