Eddie Howe wants a reunion with Nathan Ake as Newcastle United ponder a move for the Manchester City defender in January.
According to 90Min, Newcastle United are pondering plenty of moves for players who played under Eddie Howe at Bournemouth, including Manchester City centre-back Nathan Ake. The Dutchman could be open to a switch, considering he can hardly play regularly in the first team.
Newcastle United made some bold moves since their takeover by a Saudi backed consortium back in October. They did not wait long to sack underfire manager Steve Bruce and replace him with former Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe. The Englishman is expected to be handed considerable funds for transfers in the January window.
As the Magpies languish in the relegation zone, Howe’s immediate requirement is to shore up their defence, with central areas the highest priority. Early links to James Tarkowski have faded away in recent weeks, as the centre-back seems keen on joining West Ham United in the next window.
The Magpies are not entering the next window with just one or two names as more stories every week link them with many star players. Tyrone Mings is another defender linked with a move, while Nathan Ake’s name is the latest to be connected with Newcastle United.
The link to the Dutchman is pretty obvious, considering he played plenty under Howe during his Bournemouth days. His situation at Manchester City looks somewhat grim, having started only 13 league games since signing for Pep Guardiola’s side.
With a spot in the national team at stake for Ake, he might find it hard to break into Louis van Gaal’s side considering the competition in central defence. He will still have a shot at making the cut with regular game time, which is proving impossible at Manchester City.
Newcastle may be able to offer him a lifeline with a January bid for his services. Howe is eager to bring in quality players, specifically the ones he has coached before, as he looks to avoid relegation at all costs.
Ake might be a bit costly considering Manchester City paid £40 million to Bournemouth in the summer of 2020. With plenty of options available to Guardiola, a good offer might tempt them to cash in on the 26-year-old, although the prospect of joining a relegation-threatened side might put Ake off the deal.
The defender could get his name on the Premier League title and Champions League if Man City were to win it this season. However, at Newcastle, he may still get to play every week and help Howe avoid relegation. It will be interesting to see which he option chooses come January.
