Odds slashed: Nathan Ake set for unexpected Man City transfer after developments
Nathan Ake could be in line for a shock departure from Man City in the final days of the January transfer window.
The centre-back had been expected to stay after Josko Gvardiol suffered a fractured tibia against Chelsea earlier this month.
With Ruben Dias and John Stones also out injured, Pep Guardiola‘s team have needed all the depth they could get at the back.
However, after Man City signed Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace, and with Dias expected to return in the next couple of weeks, the door appears to have been opened.
Ake started as Man City beat Galatasaray 2-0 on Wednesday, but the Netherlands international could now be set to leave.
Nathan Ake future in doubt amid slashed odds
Ake has been linked to Everton and West Ham, among several other clubs, in recent transfer windows.
The 30-year-old has often been a key player for the Citizens since arriving from Bournemouth in 2020, but competition and injuries have seen him fall down the pecking order in the last 18 months.
Last season, the defender made just 10 Premier League appearances, with injuries to his foot and hamstring seeing him spend months on the sidelines.
| Nathan Ake | Premier League 2025-26 |
| Appearances | 12 |
| Tackles | 8 |
| Recoveries | 12 |
| Duels won | 25 |
| Duels won % | 69.4% |
Ake has avoided issues this season, but the defender has still often found himself left on the bench.
Despite Man City‘s injury problems, Guardiola has opted to start the 30-year-old on just four occasions in the Premier League.
And with Rayan Ait-Nouri now also back, Ake could look for a route to a bigger role elsewhere in the final days of the window.
That position could exist at Crystal Palace, with one major bookmaker slashing the odds on Selhurst Park being the defender’s next destination to 5/1 in recent hours.
West Ham and Bournemouth remain in strong contention to sign Ake, with both clubs at 2/1 odds of winning the race.
Ake admission of what Ronald Koeman has said may hint at move
Ake has long been a key man in the defence for the Netherlands, but recent camps have seen his position under threat.
The World Cup this year could well be the defender’s last, and he will be desperate to play a starring role in Ronald Koeman‘s team.
“He [Koeman] has said to me a few times actually that he wants me to play more and sometimes it is difficult to call me up if I don’t play a lot, that’s obvious,” Ake admitted earlier this month.
Should the 30-year-old need to leave Man City in the coming days to secure that playing time, a swift decision may be reached.