West Ham United have reportedly emerged as the latest club to be linked with a move for Manchester City defender Nathan Ake.
If reports from 90 min are to be believed, West Ham United have joined the race to sign Nathan Ake. The Hammers are desperately looking for defensive reinforcements in the January transfer window, with the Manchester City centre-back emerging as an ideal option for head coach David Moyes.
Formerly of Bournemouth, Ake was also courted by Newcastle United recently. But their attempts to sign the defender was reportedly blocked by Manchester City amid worries over depth. However, West Ham’s head of recruitment Paul Newman seems to have an excellent relationship with the Citizens, and as a result, the club will be looking to sign Ake, at least on a loan deal in January.
A product of the Chelsea academy, Ake has been part of the Manchester City setup since last summer, when he joined the club for a fee of around €40 million. He was a part of the massive defensive overhaul of the City squad that also saw the club sign Ruben Dias from SL Benfica in the same window.
Due to the Portuguese international’s rapid rise to prominence, however, Ake has fallen down the pecking order at Etihad. Since the start of last season, the defender has featured in only 22 competitive appearances, failing to get the nod ahead of John Stones and Aymeric Laporte in Pep Guardiola’s first-team plans.
The Dutchman has notably featured in only league games so far this campaign, with very little indication of any potential breakthrough. But it appears West Ham are prepared to offer him a lifeline by signing him up on a short-term loan deal in the upcoming January transfer window.
The Hammers are actively looking for defensive options in the market after Angelo Ogbonna sustained a long-term injury earlier in the campaign. The former Juventus centre-back was a major asset in the club’s defensive unit. As such, his absence has left Moyes desperate for a new face in January, with the club being linked with a move for James Tarkowski, among many others.
In Nathan Ake, though, West Ham could find themselves a young prospect who has the potential of becoming one of the best in the business. The Londoners notably had huge success with the loan signing of Jesse Lingard earlier in the year, and Moyes will be hoping for a similar result with Ake, although this time, the club will be keen on adding a purchase clause.
