There can’t be too many greater achievements in a footballer’s life than winning a treble, and that has to be a major reason why one Man City star has happily put pen to paper on a contract extension.
The new deal with keep the player at the club until 2027 and provide Pep Guardiola with a little more stability after the departure of Ilkay Gundogan and the consistent noise around Bernardo Silva.
Though he might be one of the more unsung heroes in the squad, it’s clear that Nathan Ake plays as important a part as any other squad member, and he’s delighted to be staying at the Etihad Stadium.
“This is the best club in the world, I have no doubts about that,” he was quoted as saying by The Athletic (subscription required).
“Being a Manchester City player makes me incredibly proud every single day.
“It’s a football club that expects excellence in every area, which makes for the perfect environment to improve. It drives me on and makes me better. I am at the stage of my career where I want to keep developing and I can definitely do that here.
“Pep is the best manager in football — a genius who has made me see the game differently — so to be able to work with him for longer is a real privilege. I am so grateful to him for everything he has done for me, both personally and professionally.”
Alongside the likes of John Stones and Ruben Dias, Ake has been rock solid when called upon by Guardiola.
If all championship winning teams are built on the foundation of a decent defence, then the Catalan has an embarrassment of riches in that regard.
Given the way in which Guardiola likes his centre-backs to play too, rather than hump it long the manager gives the defence the ability and confidence to play football out from the back.
If not quite revolutionary, it’s certainly a change to what’s gone before in the English top-flight. One can definitely pinpoint a ‘before and after Guardiola,’ simply because of the amount of teams that appear to have copied his way of working.