Garth Crooks has suggested that he did not foresee Nathan Ake becoming the player he is today.
In his Premier League Team of the Week for BBC Sport, the pundit praised Ake’s display in Manchester City’s 1-1 draw against Liverpool.
The £41 million (Sky Sports) man has certainly come a long way, with Kalvin Phillips naming him as an “inspiration” for how he has managed to become a key figure at City after a rough start to life at the club.
Garth Crooks suggests that he did not expect Nathan Ake to become the top player he is today
Nedum Onuoha also noted how the 28-year-old was “exceptional” for the Sky Blues last season.
Since the second half of the previous campaign, the Dutch defender has established himself as a world-class defender after his first two seasons were riddled with injuries and being rotated in and out of the side.
Now, Garth Crooks has credited Manchester City centre-back Nathan Ake for how far he has come in his career.
“I saw this lad play for Chelsea as an 18-year-old protege. He looked capable of having a career in the game but had a lot of work to do if he intended to be a top-class defender, an international or even play for the best team in Europe and that was no doubt why Chelsea let him go. The fact the Dutchman has now achieved all of the above tells you just how hard he has worked”, Crooks told BBC Sport.
He went on to praise the 28-year-old’s brilliant assist for Erling Haaland’s opener on Saturday.
“The way he took two players out of the game and then delivered the perfect pass for Erling Haaland to finish against Liverpool was quite brilliant. This is yet another indication of the quality of Manchester City’s recruitment process. City didn’t pay a fortune for him but still managed to uncover a gem.”
The Nathan Ake masterclass could be a worry for Josko Gvardiol
Garth Crooks makes a fair point as Nathan Ake has managed to silence his doubters by performing at the highest level consistently.
With the former Chelsea centre-half managing to tame the in-form Mohamed Salah against Liverpool, he could well displace Josko Gvardiol at left-back.
After all, Ake put in a defensive masterclass and going forward, he set up Haaland’s strike by beating two men and providing a lovely assist.
While Gvardiol has looked the part for City so far, the ex-Bournemouth colossus perhaps has a better understanding with the defenders at the club’s disposal, especially due to his consistent presence in the backline last season.
In addition, with Manchester City set to face Tottenham Hotspur in their next big Premier League game, Nathan Ake has made himself virtually undroppable for the clash.
This should rightly be a concern for Josko Gvardiol, as his competitor for the left-back role is one of the best in the business.
