Nathan Ake emerges as transfer wishlist option for Serie A giants | OneFootball

Manchester City continue to find Nathan Ake at the heart of transfer speculation despite a willingness to retain the player this month.

The Netherlands international faces an uncertain future at the Etihad Stadium after enduring an injury-riddled 18 months that have limited playing opportunities and given Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol to establish their place at the top of Pep Guardiola’s pecking order in defence.

Ake has been warned by Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman that his 2026 FIFA World Cup chances are on the line and that he needs to play regularly at club level to stake a claim for the summer’s marquee tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

City’s dire personnel situation in defence as a result of injuries to Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol earlier this month have seen Ake play regularly in central defence, though the Blues have also recalled academy graduate Max Alleyne from loan at Watford and bolstered their options with the shrewd £20 million signing of Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace.

Hugo Viana has significantly overhauled Guardiola’s squad since his appointment as director of football in 2025 and with Ake into the final 18 months of his contract, it is expected that the former Bournemouth man will leave Manchester City in 2027.

City are planning to challenge for silverware in the seasons to come and with John Stones also enduring an injury-ravaged season, the 31-year-old is also set to leave the club when his contract expires this summer.

Alleyne has made a strong impression on Guardiola and his coaching staff since his emergency trip home from London this month, having started five of Manchester City’s seven games since his loan at Watford was cut short.

The 20-year-old is set to be fully integrated into the Manchester City first-team squad next season, with Guardiola also leaning heavily on Abdukodir Khusanov in recent weeks as he looks to spread the defensive workload around in the absence of his preferred starting pair in central defence.

Vitor Reis is enjoying a stellar season on loan at CFG-owned Girona in Spain and Guardiola could decide to recall the young Brazilian to England in the summer, especially if Stones leaves for free and Ake is sold a year before his contract is up.

Manchester City officials will want to avoid the risk of losing Ake for free in 2027 and with the Dutch defender hardly reliable from a fitness standpoint, it is looking increasingly likely that a parting of ways will come at the end of the season.

According to the information of MailSport’s Simon Jones, Ake is on the transfer wishlist of Serie A giants AC Milan – although it remains to be seen whether that is regarding the ongoing January market or with a view towards the summer.

City are not expected to introduce further arrivals in the first-team squad in January, with departures set to dominate the transfer agenda in the final week of the window. Oscar Bobb passed his Fulham medical on Thursday and Stefan Ortega Moreno is also expected to find a club before the February 2 deadline.