Manchester City continue to work on reducing the size of Pep Guardiola’s squad before the transfer window shuts.
The Spanish coach made it clear towards the end of last season that he did not want to work with a big group throughout the 2025/26 season, a point he reiterated after City’s win against Wolves at the weekend.
The Manchester club have made great strides over recent days, securing loan moves for Jack Grealish and Claudio Echeverri, while James McAtee was sold to Nottingham Forest as part of a £30m deal.
It was reported this week that Galatasaray are closing in on a deal for Manuel Akanji, and following this news, it is also being said that another defender could join the Swiss centre-back in heading for the exit door at the Etihad Stadium.
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Man City fans react to the news that Everton want Nathan Ake
There has been very little transfer speculation around Nathan Ake this summer, but having been an unused substitute at the weekend against Wolves, clubs may see an opportunity to sign the defender before the summer window shuts.
Everton insider El Bobble has stated that the Merseyside club are currently working on a deal to bring the Dutch star to the Hill Dickinson Stadium, and Man City fans are not happy about the 30-year-old’s potential exit.
One Man City fan reacted to the Ake news on X (formerly known as Twitter) by saying: “Absolutely no way this happens if Akanji goes.”
A second supporter of the Manchester club added: “Don’t like this one bit unless we’re looking at bringing in another CB behind the scenes. Even tho Ake gets injured quite a bit, he’s still very good when he does play.”
A final Man City fan commented: “Letting go of both Akanji and Ake same window would be a giant mistake, ain’t no one believing in the fact that Stones, Dias, Gvardiol will be fully healthy all season… Why even let Reis and Simpson-Pusey go on loan? Hopefully another experienced CB signing (if both go)?”
It would be a surprise if Guardiola sanctioned the exits of both Ake and Akanji, and with Man City not linked to any centre-backs at present, letting both defenders go would be a massive mistake.
Man City cannot afford to let Nathan Ake leave
Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol are undoubtedly Guardiola’s preferred centre-back pairing for the new season, and after John Stones made it clear he is staying at Man City for the 2025/26 campaign, the Englishman and Abdukodir Khusanov will provide chief support.
Having let Vitor Reis move to Girona on loan for the season, this has left City with six centre-backs at present; therefore, they can afford to let go of either Akanji or Ake, but not both.
Ake has been a reliable servant ever since joining Man City from Bournemouth as part of a £40m deal in 2020, and his versatility has been very useful to Guardiola over the last five years.
The Dutch star would be the better option to keep out of the two centre-backs, but only time will tell which one will leave the Etihad Stadium, if not both, before the summer transfer window shuts next week.
