Crystal Palace are in a race with Barcelona to sign the “incredible” Manchester City player, with Josep Guardiola’s side preparing for a sale next month.
Palace will be active in the January transfer window
Oliver Glasner has admitted that he expects to make some new signings in the upcoming transfer window, saying: “We started talking about this a few weeks ago, because it’s too late to start now. Everything is already on track and we just need to get the deal done.
“We know this, the club knows this, the board knows this. We don’t want to talk about it (too much) because it just makes it more expensive if everyone knows. Everything is going well. (Sporting director) Matt Hobbs and Steve (Parrish) are working really hard to get these deals done.”
Of course, one of the most important tasks in January or the summer will be to bring in a new centre-back, as Marc Gehi’s contract expires at the end of the season, and a number of targets have already been identified.
Lens’ Samson Baidou, Sporting CP’s Ousmane Diomando and Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa have all been named as potential options for the Eagles, but a move could be made for the Man City star.
This comes as Caught Offside reports that Crystal Palace are in a race with Barcelona to sign Nathan Ake, who is expected to be available for €30m to €35m (£26m to £31m) in the next transfer window.
City are now open to allowing Ake to leave, with AFC Bournemouth, Fulham and West Ham United also keen, so there is no shortage of potential suitors.
The Dutchman’s departure is expected to be decided next month, and interested Premier League clubs are likely to want to sign him permanently, while Barca are said to want to sign him on loan with an option to buy.
Barcelona are currently very interested in the Crystal Palace star, who Glasner described as “fantastic”
Palace have to make decisions regarding the future of key players.
‘Incredible’ Ake could be Guehi’s successor
Of course, it is far from ideal for Palace to lose their captain, but there is nothing to prevent Palace from leaving at the end of the season and there are indications that the City defender could be a solid replacement.
Importantly, the 30-year-old has a wealth of Premier League experience, having made 243 Premier League appearances, during which time he won six titles with Man City and Chelsea.
The Dutch international, hailed as “incredible” by Guardiola, is also very calm in possession, with an average pass success rate of 94.6% over the past year, which puts him in the 99th percentile of all centre-backs.
Ake, who earns £160,000-a-week, could be a great signing for Crystal Palace in January and it would make sense for City to allow him to leave, given he has featured in bit-part roles so far this season, playing just 223 minutes in eight Premier League games.
