Manchester City defender Nathan Ake is now open to leaving the Etihad Stadium in the January transfer window, with the Premier League giants setting his price tag.
The Dutchman has been a fantastic servant for the Citizens since arriving from Bournemouth back in 2020, winning four Premier League titles and one Champions League crown, among other trophies.
That said, the 30-year-old has seen his playing time become more limited under Pep Guardiola this season, making only one start in the league, as well as making four substitute appearances in the competition.
Manchester City's Nathan Ake arrives before the match
Ake is now into the final two years of his current deal at City, with his contract running until the summer of 2027, so there are decisions to be made by both him and the club.
The Sky Blues may want to cash in on him while they still have time, assuming they don't see a long-term future for him, and the player himself will no doubt like the idea of enjoying more regular playing time.
Ake wants to leave as Man City set £31m price tag
According to Caught Offside, the battle to sign Manchester City ace Ake is hotting up ahead of the January transfer window, with Inter Milan, Juventus and Crystal Palace all mentioned as options.
It is claimed that the Citizens are open to a deal and want as much as £31m for the Netherlands international. Ake wants to be earning more minutes ahead of the 2026 World Cup and is looking to leave the club in January.
Manchester City's Bernardo Silva and Nathan Ake celebrate after the match
It does feel as though Ake's time at City is reaching its natural conclusion, during a period in which so many members of the club's title-winning sides have moved on, not least Kevin De Bruyne earlier this year.
The centre-back is understandably open to the idea of a fresh challenge, given Guardiola's current stance on him, even though the Spaniard has lauded him as "incredible" in the past.
If Ake does leave City, he will be remembered as a great servant who has done so much for the cause in the past five years, with his ability to thrive at both centre-back and left-back proving to be priceless.
Whoever does potentially sign will be getting an excellent player who still has plenty to offer in his career, with Guardiola also saying of him: "I don’t think you can ever find a single teammate of his who has anything bad to say about him. Both at his clubs and with the Dutch national team. He’s very competitive and I wish he could play a season without injuries, but sometimes you run into those kinds of things. I adore him as a person and as a player."
From City's point of view, if they can get as much as £31m for a player in his 30s, it would have to be considered good business, and they could then bring in a younger replacement instead.
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