Manchester City are closing in on a deal for Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake, as Pep Guardiola steps up his search for a new centre-back.
The Premier League champions could be short at the back if they do not move quickly in the current transfer window, with club legend Vincent Kompany now plying his trade back in Belgium with Anderlecht and Nicolas Otamendi being touted for a switch to Atletico Madrid – as per Metro Sport.
In the event that the Argentine leaves the club, Guardiola could be left with only Aymeric Laporte and John Stones to call upon, which is why the club have expressed an interest in Leicester City’s Harry Maguire – as Metro Sport reports.
However, according to L’Equipe, Bournemouth’s Ake is top of City’s list of targets and they are on the verge of sealing a transfer for the Premier League star.
Tottenham are also thought to be interested in the 24-year-old but L’Equipe states that he is likely to make a switch to the Etihad Stadium in the coming weeks, with his current market value set at £40 million.
Ake has been a fixture in Eddie Howe’s line up at Bournemouth since his permanent move from Chelsea in 2017 and he has already earned ten caps for the Netherlands.
The time could be right for him to take the next step forward in his career and he might fancy his chances of competing for a regular spot in City’s starting XI next season.
John Stones has proven himself as a classy performer for Guardiola’s title winners, but he is still prone to the odd moment of madness when trying to play out from the back.
Ake is similarly confident in possession but he also has an aggressive streak which makes him the perfect all-around centre-back and his arrival at the Etihad could help City maintain their dominance of English football for another season.
