Chelsea could be made to wait longer for Nathan Ake, with Manchester City unwilling to trade the Dutch defender until a suitable replacement is found.
According to a report from Manchester Evening News, Nathan Ake’s move to Chelsea is a transfer that could yet materialise. But it may not be as close as some outlets suggest, with Manchester City hesitant about selling the Dutch international due to a lack of cover at centre-back.
It was reported late on Wednesday that Chelsea are closing in on striking a £40 million agreement with Manchester City to re-sign Nathan Ake. However, that does not appear to be the case, according to MEN, who claim that Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola will not give approval to this sale until a replacement is lined up in the background.
Thomas Tuchel has identified the versatile Manchester City defender as a part of his defensive overhaul this summer following the departures of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen. It is reported that the Chelsea boss is keen on adding at least two new centre-backs to his roster ahead of the 2022/23 season.
While Todd Boehly works to improve the attack, he is also putting together the framework for defensive reinforcements this summer. Talks have been ongoing for long-term targets such as Jules Kounde and Matthijs de Ligt, while Milan Skriniar, heavily linked with Paris Saint-Germain, is also of interest.
Napoli powerhouse Kalidou Koulibaly is the latest name to emerge on Chelsea’s radar, and Manchester City’s Nathan Ake is set to be asked for in a package deal including Raheem Sterling. Ake had previously spent seven years on Chelsea’s books before leaving to join Bournemouth in 2017 and then eventually moving to Manchester City in 2020.
While Ake has since won every domestic trophy in sight, including two Premier League titles, game-time has come sparingly for the 27-year-old. He made just 13 appearances in his debut season, with that almost doubling in the 2021/22 season. But even then, Ake’s presence in the team was not at a consistent level, at least in the centre-back slot, as he was more of a utility man.
So, with Manchester City improving their squad even further and with Guardiola looking to freshen up the roster, it may appear at first glance that letting Ake go to Chelsea for a sizable fee is a good business for all parties involved. The player will have the opportunity to play more games ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup later this year.
However, in contrast, the reigning Premier League champions will prefer not to sell Ake as they have a fairly unsettled centre-back department, with Ake one of four options available at Guardiola’s disposal. Considering John Stones’s history with niggling injuries and Ruben Dias’s patchy form this past season, it is said that Manchester City are not very keen on losing the Dutchman.
Manchester City would not consider allowing the versatile Dutch defender to leave unless they received a very good price for him in the region of at least £50 million and knew that they could find a successor in this window. This is yet another setback for Chelsea’s defensive overhaul, with the club still without a single defensive addition this summer.
