Eddie Howe will have to splash the cash to land a reunion with Manchester City's Nathan Ake at Newcastle United.
The Toon boss is keen to further strengthen his defence this summer as he looks to build on a fine second half to the 2021-22 season. And the Dutchman, who left Howe's former club Bournemouth to join City for £40million two years ago, is understood to be one of Howe's top targets
But now City are keen to make a profit on Ake, who still has three years left on his current deal. And, as first reported by The Sun, the Premier League champions have slapped a whopping £50million price tag on the Netherlands international this summer. Despite Ake not being first choice at the Etihad, Pep Guardiola remains keen on keeping him.
However, the 27-year-old has been told that the club will not stand in his way of a move away should one come about that meets their valuation and gives Ake the regular first-team action he's craving.
It would certainly come as no surprise if the defender opts to leave, with Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte and John Stones all ahead of him in the pecking order. With this in mind, Ake knows that it limits his chances of being first choice centre-back in the Netherlands’ World Cup squad ahead of the tournament in Qatar later this year.
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Howe remains intent on signing the Dutchman, having initially enquired about him during the January transfer window, and £50million would hardly dent the finances of the richest club in the world, even allowing for their need to balance the books in light of potential Financial Fair Play issues.
The Toon aren't short of centre-halves already, with Fabian Schar having signed a new contract recently, while club captain Jamaal Lascelles is also on the books. Dan Burn was purchased from Brighton for £13million in January and was a key part of the side following his arrival, as Newcastle tightened up at the back and secured their Premier League survival with a remarkable 11th-placed finish.
