28 July 2023 , 21:30
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Nathan Ake will sign a new four-year contract with Manchester City this weekend - and has given assurances that the injury he picked up during the champions’ pre-season tour of the Far East is not serious.
Ake, 28, has agreed a two-year extension to a deal which still had two years to run and will see his wages increase to £130,000-a-week as a reward for his key role in City’s treble triumph last season.
Pep Guardiola showed how much faith he has in the Dutchman by giving him a start in City’s Champions League final win over Inter Milan after he had just returned to action following a hamstring strain.
Ake was troubled with muscle injuries over the last few months of the campaign, so the club’s medical staff decided not to take any risks when the defender went down holding his calf during the 2-1 pre-season friendly win over Bayern Munich in Tokyo on Wednesday.
The former Chelsea and Bournemouth star is unlikely to feature against Atletico Madrid on Sunday - but he insists he will be ready for the Community Shield clash with Arsenal at Wembley next Sunday.
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Ake said: “It’s just a tight calf. We will seen the next few days, but it’s nothing serious. I’ll be ok next week, for sure.” Ake, who was born in The Hague, arrived at City from Bournemouth in a £41million deal three years ago.
Nathan Ake helped Man City win the treble last term (Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)His versatility has made him indispensable to Guardiola and the Spaniard blocked a bid from Chelsea to take him back to Stamford Bridge last summer because of his ability to play as a centre-back or left-back.
Ake made 54 appearances for club and country last season and his form for City has sidelined Spanish international Aymeric Laporte. He moved to England as a 15-year-old to join the London club’s academy after coming through the youth system at Feyenoord.
The accomplished left-footer is now Virgil van Dijk’s regular defensive partner for Holland.