Transfer Talk: Ake is talk of the Toon as Eddie eyes reunion

Nathan Ake’s time at Manchester City has not gone to plan since joining from Bournemouth in August 2020 for a hefty £41million fee.

The Dutch centre-back has struggled to break into Pep Guardiola's starting XI ahead of the likes of Aymeric Laporte, Ruben Dias and John Stones and is being linked with a move away this summer.

A switch to Newcastle to reunite with former Cherries boss Eddie Howe is rumoured to be his most likely destination.

Ahead of his country's Nations League fixture against Wales, we take a look at Ake's story so far and why he could be set to embark on a new chapter at St James' Park.

Out of favour

A product of Chelsea’s academy, Ake made his breakthrough in the 2017-18 season at Bournemouth — his second campaign with them following an initial 12-month loan deal.

His performances under Howe’s leadership caught the eye of Guardiola, who swiftly moved for the commanding defender and saved him from the prospect of playing Championship football with the relegated South Coast outfit.

A lot of expectation came with Ake’s move to Manchester, primarily due to the substantial transfer fee and his arrival coming just after City had been pipped to the title by Liverpool in the previous campaign.

He made just 13 appearances in his debut season with the Citizens as a hamstring injury kept him sidelined for a lengthy period. 

Fit for much of the 2021-22 campaign, Ake still played only 14 Premier League matches — despite City’s injury crisis at the back.

At 27, now could be the perfect time for the versatile defender to move on and reignite his career in his prime years.

Magpies swoop

A switch to a resurgent Newcastle, where he would rekindle his relationship with a manager who got the best out of him in the past, could be the ideal move.

The Toon have reportedly been told they will have to pay in the region of £50m to take Ake to Tyneside, which would make him the club’s record signing.

Given the lack of game time the Dutchman has had at the Etihad, the fee seems very steep.

But City want to recoup what they paid Bournemouth, plus a little more, despite Ake's move not working out as planned.

And whenever Newcastle enter the bidding, even clubs such as City will increase their prices knowing the Geordies now have the financial muscle to splash the cash.

Ex-Newcastle defender Jose Enrique recently took to Twitter to claim the asking price for Ake is too high.

He said: "I know Newcastle have money now but I hope they spend it wisely like they have been doing and £50m for Ake I believe is too much."

It is hard to argue with Enrique with cheaper options available, most notably soon-to-be free agent James Tarkowski.

No need to adapt

Nevertheless, a move to Newcastle makes sense for the Dutch international, who would remain at a Premier League club with lofty ambitions.

Although compatriot Sven Botman, 22, is also high on the Magpies' list of defensive targets and is a younger option, it remains to be seen how well and how quickly the Lille man would adapt to the Premier League.

A move from Ligue 1 to the English top flight would be challenging and this may make Ake, who can also fill in at left-back, a more favourable option.

Howe does he fit in?

Considering he is left-footed and has good offensive ability, composure and pace, it is no surprise Ake has been used as a makeshift left-back by Guardiola.

At first glance, his heat map across all competitions last season is rather surprising for a player who is a centre-back by trade, as it shows he occupies positions further up the pitch.

But this is rather typical for a defender playing in Guardiola’s system because City are set up to play with a high line.

The Catalan coach demands that each signing fits a specific profile in order to play effectively in his system, which is a great compliment to Ake, who will no doubt have improved after being tutored by one of the best managers around for the past two years.

Howe also likes his team to play possession-based football, meaning the defender could potentially slot straight into the Newcastle side with ease.

Ake played at left-back in five league victories last term and in both legs against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

His touch map when playing at left-back shows he has the ability to get up the pitch and into the opposition box.

Newcastle signed Matt Targett on loan from Aston Villa in January and are currently considering their options for left-back this summer. 

Capturing Ake's signature means Howe could potentially kill two birds with one stone.

Dutch courage

With the World Cup fast approaching, Ake will be aiming to cement his place in the Netherlands side.

He is at the stage of his career when he can still salvage the lack of game time over the past couple of years and kick on in his progression.

With three years left on his City contract, clubs may wait another season before risking a huge fee for the two-time Premier League winner.

But the Magpies have cash to splash. And if Howe makes him their top target, it will be no surprise to see the Oranje defender in a Newcastle shirt next season.