Manchester City have been heavily linked with a move for Josko Gvardiol for the past couple of months, and plenty of supporters have already been drawing up their starting XI’s with the Croatian on the left of the defence.
The feeling is that a deal for Gvardiol will eventually get done.
And it would be a very exciting transfer.
Gvardiol, valued at at least £85 million by RB Leipzig, has the potential to become the best centre-half in world football.
And under the guidance of Pep Guardiola, he could well achieve this in just a couple of seasons.
But while people get excited about the prospect of the ‘phenomenal’ Gvardiol coming in, it should also be remembered just how amazing Nathan Ake has been in recent times for City.
Nathan Ake would not deserve to start the season on the bench for Man City
Last season, Ake was City’s unsung hero. Or at least, he was for the first two-thirds of the campaign before people truly realised just how good he’d been. He then very much became ‘sung’.
Ake barely put a foot wrong last season.
When Guardiola decided to change things up and move to a back three, the Dutchman was his regular pick on the left side.
And he was utterly perfect in the role.
Nobody got past him, and he actually also offered some attacking threat. Who could forget his brilliant finish into the far corner against Arsenal in the FA Cup fourth round?
He arrived at City in a £41 million deal from Bournemouth and was shaky at first.
But last term it was clear that he has totally transformed as a player.
He’s taken everything Guardiola has said to him on board and become, genuinely, one of the best defenders in the Premier League.
And this is why he does not deserve to start the new season on the bench, amid talk of Gvardiol coming in. Ake did not have the season he just had, just to be cast aside back onto the bench.
Gvardiol should work to gain starting berth if he signs
If we are to assume that the Gvardiol deal comes to fruition, then it should be that he has to oust Ake from the team.
He may arrive for huge money. But he needs to get in there on merit.
Guardiola is quite a loyal manager. He will generally pick players that deserve to be playing.
Ake had a few injury problems towards the end of the season. But he was pretty much a staple pick for City last term.
Pep was clearly very taken by the 28-year-old and one can only hope Ake starts the season in the team.
The Spaniard can of course be ruthless when it comes to his selections. Just ask Gabriel Jesus.
But hopefully Ake is spared from this when City’s first game with Burnley rolls around.
