According to a report from The Guardian, it was disclosed that Manchester City are close to finalising a deal with Bournemouth for the imminent signing of Nathan Ake who had been attracting several interests from Premier league big sides.
Manchester United and Chelsea were formerly keen to get the Netherlands international defender’s signature with the defender being valued around £40 million earlier on. But the Cherries strongly held on to one of their best asset.
Bournemouth now looks to be very likely to go down this season, with the Cherries currently in 19th position with 31 points. They have only one match left to prove their credential but that seems to be far from being hopeful, considering Watford and West Ham United are just a point away from securing their Premier league safety with two games left for them.
Due to obvious financial loss, the Cherries have already started planning for life in the Championship by letting go of one of their best asset. Manchester City now looks to have taken advantage of Bournemouth’s sorry situation by submitting their £35million offer for the former Chelsea academy graduate.
Nathan Ake made his Chelsea debut as a teen back in 2012, but could only managed to make 17 appearances in five years with the Blues first team, before being allowed to sign for Bournemouth in a deal worth £20 million.
The left-sided big centre-back’s quality has drawn comparison with his countryman and Liverpool’s defender Van Dijk, due to their great defending abilities.
The Netherlands international defender seems well tailored to be considered a top defender, and that has been matched with his intelligence on the ball and defensive discipline. Ake is unarguably one of the best ball playing centre-back, who primarily plays on the left side of the defense due to his preferred (left) foot. While he can also play as left back, if necessary.
Nathan Ake definitely as shown that he has what it takes to fit in well in any big club, no wonder Pep Guardiola has shown a strong interest in bringing the Cherries defender to add the necessary quality to his defense which is lacking consistent partnership at the backline.
Pep Guardiola has experimented a lot at the defence, with Fernandinho being deployed to play at the defence in the absence of Laporte and Otamendi. Though the Brazilian had performed greatly while playing in that role but the team was obviously lacking a natural centre-back.
With John Stones being frozen out of the first eleven several times this season despite being fit, it confirms that City’s manager Guardiola has lost faith in the England international, opening the door for a compulsory new signing.
And with the reported incoming of Nathan Ake, Manchester City will no doubt be welcoming a quality defender who will give the Citizens’ defense an added quality and might finally form a formidable partnership with either Laporte or Otamendi.
