Manchester City have told suitors Nathan Ake is not for sale amid rumours emerging of the defender’s departure in January.
According to 90min, Nathan Ake will remain at Manchester City beyond the January transfer window. The Premier League champions are uninterested in sanctioning a sale of the defender in the winter window amid interest from Bayern Munich and PSG.
Manchester City oversaw a few changes to their squad personnel, with Pep Guardiola surprising few with the club’s sales. Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchekno joined Arsenal, while Raheem Sterling left for Chelsea as he sought a new challenge.
Additionally, Chelsea were linked with a move for defender Nathan Ake in the summer. The 27-year-old seemed open to re-joining the Blues, as new owner Todd Boehly wanted quality reinforcement to build the squad.
But Ake has emerged as one of the crucial players in Manchester City’s backline this season, and the club wants a continuation. As talk of a £45 million move accelerated, everything seemed agreed between the clubs. However, Guardiola insisted on keeping the 27-year-old, and the move has paid dividends this term.
Ake has found himself playing more games than before, and there is trust placed in him by Guardiola. Many expected Ake to fall down the pecking order after the late arrival of Manuel Akanji. Still, the Dutchman is seemingly ahead of Aymeric Laporte and Ruben Dias in the pecking order.
Moreover, the constant fitness issues with John Stones have worked out well for Ake, who has grabbed his chance with both hands. He is inching towards becoming an automatic starter; hence, Manchester City are uninterested in entertaining offers.
Rumours of interest from PSG and Bayern Munich have come around in the media, but Manchester City remain uninterested. Ake has a contract until 2025, which puts the club in an excellent position to be relaxed about the situation.
Guardiola is impressed with his application on the field, and the defender himself admitted to being happy at the club with his recent comments. He said, “In the end, I’m happy to be here. “Sometimes these things happen [transfer links and rumours], and in the end, I’m very happy that I stayed. You have to learn; I have learned a lot over the years. It’s interesting, and I had to get used to it in the first season, but now I know it.”
Manchester City may even opt to hand him a new deal depending on how he continues to perform for the remainder of the season. For now, the 27-year-old seems happy and is enjoying a consistent run of games in the first team.
