Manchester City on Wednesday signed Dutch defender Nathan Ake from Bournemouth. The central defender has put ink on a five-year deal which will see him staying at City until the end of the 2024-25 season.
The 25-year-old Chelsea youth product expressed his delight on joining City, a club where he expects to win trophies with “world-class players” and forge a successful career.
“City have been the best side in England over the course of the last decade,” Ake was quoted as saying on the official website of Manchester City.
“Coming here is a dream for me. This is a top side full of world-class players. Everywhere you look in this squad there are big names with international pedigree.
“I know I’m going to have to work hard to get into the side, but that’s what I’m here to do. I’ll do whatever I can to make an impact and help the team win silverware,” he added.
Ake rose through the ranks of Chelsea youth academy and was a key part of the Blues squad that had won the 2012 FA Youth Cup. He had captained Chelsea’s Under-21 side to Premier League glory of that age category.
Due to his exotic youth career, Ake was handed his senior debut by then Chelsea manager Rafa Benitez against Norwich on Boxing Day 2012. He had made first senior start in an FA Cup win over Middlesbrough.
However, his fate at Stamford Bridge soon ceased to exist as he was overlooked by subsequent Chelsea managers. He was loaned to Championship side Reading for a month 2015.
Ake was then sent to Watford on loan for the 2015-16 season where he made 28 Premier League appearances. At the end of that season, Bournemouth acquired his service on loan for six month.
After a successful stint with the Cherries where he played 12 times and also scored three goals, Ake returned to Chelsea for the second half of the season and made five appearances.
Ake then made a permanent move to Bournemouth that summer, signing a 20 million pounds deal. He became an essential player for the south coast side and made 109 appearances after joining permanently, scoring eight goals, playing every Premier League game in both the 17/18 and 18/19 seasons.