Nathan Ake came through the youth systems of ADO Den Haag and Feyenoord before agreeing to join Chelsea as a 15-year-old

The Dutchman spent a couple of years in the Blues’ academy prior to making his Premier League debut against Norwich City on Boxing Day 2012.

Ake didn’t play regularly for several seasons though and, to gain more experience, he was sent out on several loan spells.

His first was a one-month stint at Reading prior to spending seasons at both Watford and Bournemouth.

Ake’s exit from Chelsea kickstarted his career

At the end of his loan spell at Bournemouth, he was given his first cap by the Netherlands at senior level. Within a month of getting his first taste of international football, he had also sealed a permanent switch to the Cherries.

In the next three years, Ake would establish his reputation as one of the most promising centre-backs in the Premier League, attracting interest from a whole host of clubs.

Ake’s time at Manchester City

After struggling at the back during the 2019/20 season, the Cityzens splashed the cash to fix their problems, spending £41m to bring the Netherlands international to the Etihad. His arrival coincided with the signing of another centre-half, Ruben Dias, who made the move from Benfica a couple of months later.

With the club having strengthened their defence, it allowed them to comfortably finish top of the table in 2021, although Ake’s contribution was pretty minimal due to two separate hamstring injuries he sustained in his first season.

Even when he had overcome his fitness issues during his second year, the centre-back found game time difficult to come by, with manager Pep Guardiola using him mostly as a rotation option.

However, things started to change for Ake at the beginning of the club’s treble-winning season. He played a key role as City secured the Premier League title, FA Cup and Champions League in 2023. He has not looked back since then.

Career Achievements

• Ake has won 12 major honours in his career, including 4 league titles, one FA Cup, two Carabao Cups, one Community Shield, the Champions League, the Europa League, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.
• He won the Chelsea Young Player of the Year in 2012.
• Ake was Watford’s Young Player of the Year in 2015.
• He was Bournemouth’s Supporters’ Player of the Season for 2017/18.

Find out who is in Manchester City’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here