Man City ‘likely to sign’ £40m defender from Bournemouth

Joe Williams
Nathan Ake Bournemouth

Manchester City are ‘likely to sign’ Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake this summer as an alternative to Harry Maguire, according to reports.

The Dutch international has been linked with moves to Chelsea and Manchester United over the last year or so, with Cherries boss Eddie Howe saying the club “had no contact from any other club” in January for Ake.

Bournemouth signed Ake for £20million in August 2017 and has been a solid acquisition, playing every Premier League match for the club last term, scoring four goals in the process.

Manchester United have ‘moved ahead’ of City in the race for Leicester defender Maguire, who is understood to be Pep Guardiola’s top centre-back target, after the Red Devils made a new £70million bid.

It could be that the Citizens pursue a cheaper option in the form of Ake with French newspaper L’Equipe claiming Ake ‘who has been courted in the transfer market, is likely to sign on with Manchester City this summer’.

It is unlikely that Leicester will accept anything less than a world-record bid of at least £75million for Maguire, while L’Equipe adds that Ake would cost £40million.