Nathan Ake has been a firm fan favourite ever since his initial half-season loan spell with AFC Bournemouth in July 2016.
A year later he made the move from Chelsea permanent for a fee of £20million. A price tag that now looks remarkably cheap for the 24-year-old Netherlands international.
The problem for AFC Bournemouth, however, has always been, just how long can they keep hold of him.
He has now made 91 appearances in all competitions for the Cherries but will he remain on the south coast long enough to surpass 100?
Back in October 2018 Ake was away on international duty with the Netherlands and the media linked him with Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
At that time a fee of £40million was regularly being quoted and that appears to have stuck in the latest speculation linking Ake with a move to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
The Manchester Evening News has run with the headline “Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake ‘likely to sign’ for Man City this summer”.
The report goes on to discuss Manchester City’s reported interest in Leicester City and England defender Harry Maguire.
Leicester City have already rejected a £70million offer from Manchester United and “(Manchester City) may instead sought after a cheaper alternative and, according to French newspaper L’Equipe, it could be Bournemouth’s Ake.
It’s claimed that Ake ‘who has been courted in the transfer market, is likely to sign on with Manchester City this summer.’
Your say…
Sorry Roger wrote…
Stories stem from a speculative piece in L’Equipe, a French sports paper. How do I know it was a speculative piece? Because L’Equipe used a question mark (“Ake’ to Man City?”) and because the article said Ake’ could be of interest to City. Bingo! That becomes Man City have targeted him and offered £40 million in the UK press.
To assess how realistic this is, you have to ask yourself, why would a Paris based French paper have an inside track on the transfer plans of the Catalan management team at Manchester City? The Catalans hate the French. The last thing they are going to do is to cosy up to them to gossip transfer talk. – Join the conversation, click here.
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