Manchester City have reportedly set an asking price of £40 million for Nathan Ake, who is a transfer target for his former club Chelsea.
According to Italian journalist Rudy Galetti, Chelsea have learnt how much it will take for them to re-sign former defender Nathan Ake from Manchester City this summer. The Premier League champions have slapped a £40 million price tag on the 27-year-old as a return to Stamford Bridge looms.
Ake spent six years on Chelsea’s books after having joined the club’s academy in 2011 from Feyenoord. However, the Dutchman spent the majority of his spell at the club away on loan and managed just 17 senior appearances for the Blues before joining AFC Bournemouth on a permanent transfer in the summer of 2017.
Ake grew in stature during his time at the Vitality Stadium as he made 120 appearances for the Cherries, in which he even managed to score 11 and assist six goals. Having established himself as a reliable Premier League centre-back, the 27-year-old was signed by Manchester City in the summer of 2020 following Bournemouth’s relegation.
Ake’s spell at the Etihad Stadium has been difficult as he has found game-time hard to come by in Pep Guardiola’s side. Indeed, in two years with the Cityzens, the defender has played just 40 times, of which 27 appearances came in the 2021/22 campaign. Only ten of those 27 appearances came as starts in the Premier League.
Ake finds himself behind Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte and John Stones in the pecking order at Manchester City. And with the World Cup coming up this year, the former Chelsea ace remains keen on playing regularly, which has meant that he is now considering leaving the Premier League champions this summer.
Ake’s former employers, Chelsea, have emerged as a potential destination for him. The Blues are staring at a massive defensive overhaul, having already bid goodbye to Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen, while Cesar Azpilicueta’s future is far from certain as well. So, at least two new centre-halves are the need of the hour for Thomas Tuchel’s side.
Jules Kounde had been Chelsea’s top target, but things seem to have cooled down on that front. But the Blues are readying a fresh proposal to sign Matthijs de Ligt while they are also negotiating a potential move for Nathan Ake with Manchester City.
The Cityzens are reportedly reluctant to let Ake go without signing a replacement. However, should they be able to bring in a new player in the position, Guardiola’s side are unlikely to stand in the way of an exit for the Dutchman. And as per the update from Rudy Galetti, Manchester City will demand a fee of £40 million from Chelsea, a figure that should not be an issue for the west Londoners.