Newcastle United are reportedly likely to be rebuffed by Manchester City in their attempts to sign Nathan Ake in January.
According to an exclusive report from Football Insider, Newcastle United have been dealt a massive blow in their pursuit of Nathan Ake. The Manchester City defender was one of the club’s priority targets for the upcoming January transfer window, with new coach Eddie Howe desperate to shore up his defensive options.
However, it appears Manchester City are unlikely to sanction the exit of Ake in January. Pep Guardiola is keen on holding on to his star players amid fears of losing his first-choice options due to potential injuries. As a result, Ake is set to spend the second half of the campaign at the Etihad.
A product of the Chelsea youth academy, Ake joined Manchester City last summer for a considerable fee of €45 million. However, since his move to the Etihad, the player has struggled, either with injuries or a lack of game-time. He has failed to make an impression under Pep Guardiola, falling behind the likes of Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte and John Stones in the pecking order as a result.
The Dutchman only featured in ten Premier League games in his debut season at Manchester City, missing the majority of the campaign due to a hamstring injury. The defender has mustered only 284 minutes of league football this time around, often playing second-fiddle to Guardiola’s first-choice central defenders.
Ake’s struggles at the Etihad had made him a prime target for Newcastle United, who are apparently eyeing a move for fringe players over prospective loan deals in January. It appears the Magpies are refraining from targeting star players due to the possibility of getting relegated at the end of the season.
But with Ake likely to spend the remainder of the campaign at Manchester City, it is time for Eddie Howe to set his sights on alternatives. Fortunately, there is no shortage of options as Newcastle United have been linked with a host of players across Europe ever since being taken over by the Public Investment Fund consortium.
In fact, the Magpies are reportedly expected to rival Tottenham Hotspur and Everton in the race to sign Ake’s compatriot Stefan de Vrij. In addition to the Dutchman, they are also among the clubs in contention to sign PSG’s defensive star Abdou Diallo, so it will be interesting to see how Newcastle United go about their business in the upcoming January transfer window.
