Nathan Ake

[Manc in London]

Exactly we have been so slow at the back this season and it has cost us.

Indeed. That ball over the top that causes us problems regularly, needs to be addressed.

 

[toffee balls]

Hard to see why Eric would want to stay

I agree , I think he’s going home.

 

[r.soleofsalford]

I agree , I think he’s going home.

Oh no he`s not

 

[FCBarca]

Gives Pep tactical flexility to play 3 at the back too, Ake - Laporte - Stones/Ota/Walker. Otherwise a bit odd to have two left footed central defenders at those fees

 

[chickaroon]

So happy with the Aka signing. He is just as comfortable at left back as he is at CB. He is quick and his distribution is excellent and 25 years old. Not bad in the air either. Pep will make him an even better player. Only problem I can see is that he is left sided, will that be a problem when partnering Laporte in the center?

 

[OliMCFC]

Hard to see why Eric would want to stay

Cause Eric doesn't play on the left and wouldn't start for Barcelona never mind the superior proposition that we can offer

 

[pudge]

Ake and Torres for what we got for Sané isn't bad at all.

If the fees for Ake and Torres were reversed there wouldn't be many complaints to be fair.

 

[skyblues]

So happy with the Aka signing. He is just as comfortable at left back as he is at CB. He is quick and his distribution is excellent and 25 years old. Not bad in the air either. Pep will make him an even better player. Only problem I can see is that he is left sided, will that be a problem when partnering Laporte in the center?

What’s scary about this signing is that our second CB-pairing Aké - Garcia would be enough to beat most teams in the prem. But Pep will have plenty of options at CB and the best part is, no weak links. Garcia is quality, Aké is excellent, Laporte we all know. But we still need that final piece of the puzzle, the beast Koulibaly.

 

[Craig]

Seems a bit steep! Not that it matters to be honest,

PL premium?

Half the price of slab head, quicker and a better footballer.

 

[TheThirdDeano]

Half the price of slab head, quicker and a better footballer.

True but then the United way is to throw money at their problems, we're more astute than that haha

 

[kun]

Hard to see why Eric would want to stay

Even harder to see why he'd join the shit show in Catalonia

 

[Craig]

Gives Pep tactical flexility to play 3 at the back too, Ake - Laporte - Stones/Ota/Walker. Otherwise a bit odd to have two left footed central defenders at those fees

You say that but loads of teams have 2 right footed centre backs and nobody bats an eyelid.

 

[kun]

You say that but loads of teams have 2 right footed centre backs and nobody bats an eyelid.

Also, Ake may play at LB or even DM.

 

[Matt Diablo]

means Mendy is seriously going to have to get his head out of his ass. Cancelo and Ake will be hard to get past at left back. If we play 3 at back Mendy/ Cancelo and Kyle will thrive as wing backs too

 

[oakiecokie]

Half the price of slab head, quicker and a better footballer.

Indeed he is.£40M is a great price if you ask me.

 

[FCBarca]

Even harder to see why he'd join the shit show in Catalonia

For a Catalan who started out there no less

 

[Dax777]

That's a lot of money for someone who IMO isn't the standard we require. I might eat my words but £40m+!! I wonder if that includes any add ons?

I'm terms of standard, I think he'll turn out to be a good buy. Price is a touch high in my opinion. Was hoping for 25 + 10 million add on. 41 is just a lot

But we got our man. I'm really excited for what he can do

 

[Bellamy's Caddy]

I don’t really get the criticism of the transfer fee:

- He's 25 and hopefully will have a long career with us.
- Proven premier league experience.
- Dutch international.
- Counts as home grown.
- Versatile, can also play at Left Back.

I think he'll be a great signing.

 

[Tricky_Trev]

First off, it’s patently clear we are after an elite right-sided CB to partner Laporte, so we are not signing Ake to specifically play alongside Laporte.

But even if we were, why do people think two left footers can’t play together, yet they never say the same about right footers? The reason you don’t see all left footed partnerships too often is because roughly 80% of footballers are right footed.

 

[kun]

For a Catalan who started out there no less

He's at a club that took a chance on him, with a world class manager, and is starting most weeks. If he goes to Barca he has none of that.