Barcelona could bring Manchester City’s Nathan Aké to La Liga in the summer.
That’s according to Catalunya Ràdio’s 3Cat, relayed by Friday’s edition of Sport. The Manchester City player is on Barcelona sporting director Deco’s radar.
Sport cover what Barcelona believe Manchester City plan to do with the centre-back after this season.
Their interest in the 31-year-old isn’t new as the Spanish giants had looked at him for the winter market.
Three months ago, Sport Witness covered claims from Spain of the La Liga winners’ interest in Aké. The same source also explained he was handling offers from unnamed Premier League sides.
The Netherlands international, however, didn’t end up leaving Pep Guardiola’s side during the last window.
Deco keen on Manchester City player
The Camp Nou side are working on reshaping Hansi Flick’s squad next season. Defence is one of the areas the Blaugrana are looking to improve, and the Manchester City man is on their list.
According to the report, the former AFC Bournemouth man is one of the defenders that Deco likes the most. There are multiple reasons for that.
The Dutchman can operate both as a centre-back and a left-back, and his versatility can be attractive to Barcelona. In addition to this, he has less than 18 months left on his contract.
Catalunya Ràdio claim Barcelona believe Manchester City could be willing to let him leave for a ‘good price’, without mentioning figures.
Flick’s side are also looking to sign a new striker for next season. Should the fee for the new No.9 be significantly higher, there’s belief Aké can be a relatively cheaper option for the defence.
Aké’s contract and value
The player turned 31 years of age in February. His experience, both with Manchester City and the national team, could be valuable for Barca.
He played 14 Premier League matches this season and it includes only four starts. This could see him push for a move away from the Etihad in the summer.
Transfermarkt valued Aké at €42m in 2023 and it has dropped since then. His valuation now is €18m, but Guardiola’s side will likely demand a fee higher than that.
It’s not certain whether Barcelona are willing to spend big on a player who just turned 31 and has a contract until 2027.
Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni and Tottenham Hotspur’s Micky van de Ven are also on their radar. However, the duo would be more expensive than the Manchester City player.