Manchester City's Nathan Ake
Nathan Aké has lifted trophy after trophy at Manchester City, but this season has tested him in ways he didn’t expect.
That’s something he’s willing to admit in an interview with De Telegraaf this week. The 31-year-old revealed he’s spoken to Pep Guardiola about his situation at the Etihad.
Reduced role at Manchester City
Nathan Aké has started just six of Manchester City’s 40 games in the Premier League and Champions League this season.
He’s instead featured more regularly in the League Cup, even playing the full 90 minutes in the 2-0 win over Arsenal at Wembley in March. It was the 15th major trophy of his career, yet his club role has shrunk compared to previous seasons.
Aké isn’t hiding from that fact. He’s already hinted he’ll be leaving in the summer. And he admits it’s been difficult to deal with, particularly on a mental level.
“To be honest, it is difficult to deal with at times,” he said.
“Also, because I was in the starting lineup more in recent years than this season. I have also spoken to the manager (Pep Guardiola) about it. He also indicated that things are a bit different this year.
“Mentally, it demands a bit more at times. You always have to be ready when you suddenly have to play, like last weekend. Then people also expect you to be at your best.”
Ronald Koeman trust remains
While his minutes at Manchester City have dipped, his place in the Netherlands squad has not. Ronald Koeman continues to view him as a reliable pillar heading into the World Cup.
That saw him feature for 77 minutes in the 1-1 draw with Ecuador, after sitting on the bench in the 2-1 win over Norway. He is grateful for the support from his national team.
“I am very grateful for that in any case,” he added.
“We have a good relationship (him and Koeman) How many years have we known each other now? Quite a long time. I try to repay the trust I receive by always being ready.
“We still have a few months at the club. I think the coach knows me well enough, and I know the coach well enough too. I’ll just keep going, and we’ll see what happens.”
Captain’s armband
Another League Cup triumph was not Nathan Aké’s only success in the last few weeks. He was allowed to wear the captain’s armband for the Netherlands for over 20 minutes in the second half.
That’s something he’s been trying to wrestle from Virgil van Dijk for a while.
“It was a great moment. It just never happened before. I asked Virgil (who is the first captain) often, ‘just give me five minutes,’ but that man wants to play everything,” the Hague native said with a laugh.
Nathan Aké will have one year left on his Manchester City contract in the summer. Given his earlier words and frustration over minutes, it’s increasingly unlikely he’ll see that deal out.
🇧🇷 Bruninho | Hugo Viana leading chase for €50m-rated wonderkid
➡️ Manchester City tracking 17-year-oldhttps://t.co/atQ6hKmTRV #mcfc
— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) March 31, 2026