Pep Guardiola addresses Nathan Ake’s Manchester City future as Serie A talk intensifies | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola has described Nathan Ake as an “incredible signing” while admitting uncertainty over the Dutchman’s Manchester City future.

Ake is approaching the final year of his contract at the Etihad Stadium and has been linked with an exit this summer, with Barcelona among the clubs to have registered an interest in the 31-year-old.

The four-time Premier League champion produced one of his finest performances of the season in Saturday’s 3-0 win over Brentford, dealing admirably with the pace and movement of the Bees’ attackers throughout.

Guardiola: Ake is one of the best I’ve ever faced

Speaking in a press conference ahead of Wednesday’s Premier League clash with Crystal Palace, Guardiola left no doubt about how highly he rates the former Bournemouth man.

“Listen, Nathan is maybe sometimes not really physical but there are few players more reliable when they play like him,” Guardiola said on Ake.

“What the job he has to do in terms of what he has to do with the ball or without the ball, in terms of focus, Nathan is one of the best I’ve ever faced. He’s just unbelievable.

“The problem is sometimes when it’s every three days, three days, three days, he struggles. But look at the final of the Carabao Cup or semi-finals or last game for example against Brentford, it’s completely against Kevin Schade and Igor Thiago and how they attack in behind, the space and the pace and they do it, wow, Nathan!

“Apart from that, he’s one of the most incredible teammates, for the manager or teammates, for his teammates, I’ve ever seen. An incredible signing from Bournemouth, an incredible signing for this tenure. He played the final (of the 2023 UEFA) Champions League in Istanbul, so that means how reliable he is. Top guy and top player!”

The reference to Istanbul is telling. Ake started the 2023 UEFA Champions League final – one of the biggest club games in City’s history – underlining the level of trust Guardiola has placed in him over the years when the stakes are at their highest.

Ake’s Carabao Cup final display against Arsenal at Wembley in March was cited by Guardiola himself as one of the performances of the season at the time.

I wish Ake would stay at Man City, admits Guardiola

Asked directly about Ake’s future, Guardiola was honest about the uncertainty while leaving no ambiguity about his own preference.

The 55-year-old added: “He has contract one more year, right? I wish he would stay with us. I wish he would stay with us, but I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Whether Ake remains at the club beyond this summer will likely depend on his own ambitions and the offers that arrive when the window opens, but Guardiola’s position could not be clearer.

What is the wider context for Ake’s City future?

Reports from Spain have suggested Barcelona view Ake as an affordable option to bolster their defensive options under Hansi Flick next season, with City’s reluctance to offer a discount to a direct European rival adding a further complication to any potential deal.

AS Roma and Juventus have also been linked with the Netherlands international, who has seen starts difficult to come by this season ahead of the FIFA World Cup across the Atlantic.

For City, Ake’s departure would represent a significant loss of reliability and experience in the left-back position – a department that already faces uncertainty given Josko Gvardiol‘s contract situation and the interest of Real Madrid. Guardiola’s words on Tuesday make clear he is in no hurry to lose either of them.