Manchester City willing to listen to offers for £40m man – originally posted on Sportslens.com
Manchester City are prepared to let Nathan Ake leave in the summer, according to a report by Football Insider.
Ake came through the ranks at Chelsea, and had loan spells at Reading and Watford before making a permanent £20 million move to Bournemouth – a club record fee at the time. At the Vitality Stadium, he was a standout, making 121 appearances in four seasons.
After the Cherries’ relegation in 2020, he made the switch to Man City, signing for approximately £40m.
Things haven’t gone as planned for the Dutchman at the Etihad Stadium. Due to the form of Ruben Dias and John Stones, he has made just 11 appearances in all competitions this season. He also finds himself stuck behind Aymeric Laporte in the pecking order.
Football Insider claims that the Cityzens are ready to let Ake leave the club after just one year.
The defender is still only 25 years of age, and has four years remaining on his current contract, so he would still fetch a decent price. However, it is unlikely that Man City will break even on the £40m spent on him.
Ake has earned 19 caps for the Netherlands, and offers great versatility, being able to play as a centre-back, left-back, and in midfield. Should he be made available this summer, there would surely be some takers.
If he does leave, Man City would likely need to bring in a new centre-back in the transfer window. Youngster Eric Garcia is also expected to depart, which would leave them with just Dias, Stones, and Laporte. For a club looking to compete on all four fronts every season, this is not enough depth.
Garcia is out of contract in the summer, and has been heavily touted for a move back to Barcelona, where he spent most of his youth career.
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