Tottenham have joined the chase for wantaway Manchester City defender Nathan Ake and will compete with Chelsea and West Ham United for his signature.
According to 90 Min, the chase for Nathan Ake is picking up momentum as more teams register their interest in pursuing the defender. The Dutchman is reportedly free to leave Manchester City in this window, as Tottenham become the latest entrants, joining Chelsea and West Ham United in the race.
Manchester City shelled out £40 million to sign Nathan Ake from Bournemouth in 2020. But the defender has only started 19 games across two seasons at the Etihad. The big issue for Ake is playing time. He is unlikely to cement his place in the starting eleven next season, considering Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte, and John Stones are ahead of him.
With the World Cup on the horizon, Ake must regularly play to book a spot in the Netherlands’ squad. Pep Guardiola is open to letting him depart this summer because of his status at the club. Having spent lavishly, Manchester City will see the defender’s sale as an opportunity to bring in significant transfer fees and balance the books.
There are plenty of quality suitors lining up for Ake, as a transfer away from the Etihad looks imminent. Chelsea recently explored the idea of bringing him back. The Stamford Bridge outfit explored his availability as they initiated talks for Ake and winger Raheem Sterling. If they pull this one off, it would be a sensational double raid on the Premier League champions for two of their quality players.
West Ham United are also reportedly keeping tabs on Ake’s situation, as the 27-year-old could represent a significant signing for David Moyes in the quest to improve his backline. The Hammers are in the market for a centre-back but may back out if Manchester City place a huge price tag on the Dutchman.
And Tottenham have become the latest side to show an interest in the defender, as Antonio Conte could look at the Dutchman to bolster his options in the left-sided centre-back position. Names such as Benoit Badiashile, Gleison Bremer, Alessandro Bastoni etc., have been mentioned recently, but none of them possesses experience in the Premier League.
A player proven in this division would suit Conte’s requirement, and Ake could hence become a solid acquisition. Tottenham are also linked with Clement Lenglet, although signing the Frenchman from Barcelona is more complicated than it seems. However, if Ake becomes available, Tottenham could explore the opportunity to sign the ex-Chelsae ace.
Manchester City are keen to offload him permanently, although there are suggestions he could be a loan option for several clubs. The likes of Newcastle United, Bournemouth and Aston Villa have also shown an interest. But the Magpies have signed Sven Botman and the Villans have brought in Diego Carlos while the Cherries are unlikely to afford Ake’s signing.
With Chelsea already holding talks, Tottenham and West Ham might have some major catching up to do if they wish to sign Ake from Manchester City.