Ledley King has claimed that Manchester City have the most agile defender in the world on their books.
One of the features that defined the former Tottenham Hotspur centre-back before his persistent injury woes was his agility.
The retired defender gave several top strikers a world of problems due to his ability to cover ground with ease.
The likes of Nathan Ake, Josko Gvardiol and Manuel Akanji at Manchester City also share this trait with Ledley King.
Ledley King makes intriguing Manuel Akanji claim
Akanji, most certainly is an incredible athlete — making him a go-to pick for Pep Guardiola any time he wishes for one of his centre-backs to play out of position.
As a result, the £15 million man can comfortably slot in as either a right-back or left-back for the Premier League winners.
When asked to build his ultimate defender, Ledley King chose Manuel Akanji when it came to picking a player’s agility.
King told talkSPORT via TikTok: “Someone like [Manuel] Akanji I think he’s quick, he’s mobile, he’s good in the air, he can get around the pitch.”
Manuel Akanji is certainly up there
The Swiss international is certainly up there when it comes to the most agile defenders in world football.
The likes of Nathan Ake, Antonio Rudiger, Ibrahima Konate, William Saliba and Virgil van Dijk also spring to mind.
However, where Akanji has the edge over all the aforementioned names is that he has displayed his agility as a full-back on both flanks.
Both defensively and offensively, the former Borussia Dortmund colossus can chase down wingers and carry the ball over large distances.
The two-time Premier League winner has also largely looked solid, if not spectacular as a makeshift midfielder for Manchester City when they have possession of the ball.
As a result, one can understand why former Spurs and England centre-back Ledley King chose Akanji — a physically imposing defender who is also pacey and athletic.