According to recent reports from 90min, Newcastle United’s freshly appointed manager Eddie Howe is interested in bringing a Manchester City defender, who is struggling to find game time at the Etihad, to the Magpies.
The player in question is Eddie Howe’s former defender Nathan Ake, who played for him when he managed AFC Bournemouth.
As the new Magpies boss, Howe has been promised funds by the club’s new owners and will be helped in whatever way possible in recruiting players.
One of the areas Howe is looking to strengthen in the upcoming January window is defense, and understandably so because Newcastle’s defense this season has been very poor. They currently lie in 19th position, having conceded the second-most goals in the league at 24.
Reports suggest that Manchester City’s Nathan Ake, who has made only 6 appearances this season and will continue to struggle for game time at the Etihad, is one of the first names on his shortlist.
This should not be of surprise to anyone as Howe will want faces he can trust and knows can make an immediate impact.
Ake is not the only Manchester City player they have been linked with since the takeover. The list includes Raheem Sterling, who has also been linked with a move to the Spanish giants Barcelona, and English international John Stones.
If Pep Guardiola does decide to let Ake leave the club, he can use the funds to sign a new striker and consider giving a chance to youth player Taylor Harwood-Bellis, who has been impressing on loan at Anderlecht Under Vincent Kompany this season.
What do you think Manchester City and Pep Guardiola should do if the Magpies come knocking? Should they let Ake leave or keep him as a rotational option in case one of the first-choice defenders gets injured? Do let us know in the comments below.