Nathan Ake looked on his way out of Manchester City this summer when Chelsea lodged a £45m bid and agreed personal terms with the 27-year-old, but David Ornstein of The Athletic said the move is off after the Blues failed to match City’s valuation.
Ben Jacobs of CBS Sports said Ake would only be sold if his £50m asking price was met, so he’ll remain at the Etihad Stadium after Chelsea declined. It’s good news for Pep Guardiola, as the Dutch international is a useful defender that has a place in the squad despite not being a regular starter.
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Ake joined the Sky Blues from Bournemouth in 2020 and has gone on to make 40 appearances in all competitions, scoring four goals. The 27-year-old has found playing time hard to come by due to John Stones, Ruben Dias and Aymeric Laporte standing in his way, but he’s still important as a versatile, left-footed, homegrown centre-back.
Ake operated at left-back on nine occasions last season, twice in the Champions League quarter-finals, so he’s good cover if City are short in defence. The 27-year-old played in five of the Sky Blues’ last nine league games too, so he’s been reliable when called upon.
Selling Ake would have forced Guardiola to find a like-minded replacement that is homegrown, so he should be pleased the 27-year-old isn’t joining Chelsea.