Manchester City are lining up a January bid for Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake, according to reports in the UK.

Manager Pep Guardiola is said to be a big fan of the 23-year-old’s versatility and the Citizens may look to offer up to £40m when the transfer window reopens.

Rivals Manchester United and Tottenham are also believed to be tracking Ake, while Chelsea have a buyback clause in the Dutch international’s contract.

The Blues sold the centre-half to the Cherries for £20m in July last year and he has impressed since moving to the South Coast.

City already have four centre-halves in John Stones, Aymeric Laporte, Vincent Kompany and Nicolas Otamendi, but Guardiola’s pursuit of Ake is motivated by a number of different reasons.

The Dutchman can play left-back, centre-back and as a holding midfielder, and the fact that he is classed as a homegrown player will also go in his favour.