Akanji's Insights on Stones’ Transition to Inter: No Problems Ahead

The leap from the Premier League to Serie A is never just about changing shirts. It is about rewiring your football brain. John Stones has already dipped a toe into his new life at Inter, scoring in a pre-season friendly against Real Betis, but Manuel Akanji knows the real test lies elsewhere – in Cristian Chivu’s demanding defensive system.

The Swiss defender has lived this transition himself. He arrived from Manchester City last year, stepping out of a familiar back four and into Inter’s intricate three-man base with its strict movements and rotations. That shift, he says, is where Stones’ real work begins.

“Physically, you come from the Premier League already very well-prepared. Tactically, however, it's different,” Akanji 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.”

A guide, a translator, a friend

Akanji is not just offering kind words from a distance. At 31, he has taken personal charge of easing Stones into life at Inter and in Italy. Their bond from Manchester has simply been lifted and dropped into Appiano Gentile.

The story of their reunion started far from any training pitch.

“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,” he 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.”

From that moment, Akanji switched into host mode. “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.”

The image is clear: Stones learning the nuances of Italian football with a menu in one hand and tactical explanations in the other.

Inter’s defence built for a Champions League push

While Stones settles in, the competition around him is fierce. Inter have reinforced again, bringing Benjamin Pavard back from his loan at Marseille to deepen an already stacked backline.

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.”

The message is blunt: no one is guaranteed a place, not even a signing of Stones’ pedigree. Training at Appiano Gentile will decide who starts when the lights come on in Europe.

New season, new look, same hunger

Akanji has used the summer to reset. He has even turned up with a new hairstyle, a small outward sign of a defender who insists he feels as sharp as ever heading into another Serie A campaign.

He did not spend his three-week holiday drifting away from football. “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 said. “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.”

The focus now is Monza on the opening weekend, the first real measure of all this preparation and all these new faces.

“Now I can’t wait to get serious with Monza: another season is a new beginning,” he concluded.

Inter’s backline has been rebuilt to chase Europe’s biggest prize. Stones is the latest piece. The question is no longer whether he will adapt – Akanji is convinced he will – but how far this fortified defence can carry the Nerazzurri when the Champions League anthem starts to play.