Nathan Ake: Man City and Bournemouth hold transfer talks

Transfer window opens on July 27 and closes at 11pm on October 5.

Image: Ake is one of the Premier League's most sought after defenders

Manchester City have held talks with Bournemouth about signing Nathan Ake this summer.

Discussions over the defender are at an early stage and there are a number of other clubs understood to be monitoring the situation.

He is contracted to Bournemouth until 2022, but their likely relegation from the Premier League this season means they would be resigned to losing one of their most highly-regarded and sought-after players.

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City have been linked with several centre-backs since the departure of Vincent Kompany at the end of last season. They missed out to rivals United on Harry Maguire last summer and have consistently been linked with Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly.

Image: City have long been linked with Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly

Ake has long been linked with a return to Chelsea, whom he joined from Feyenoord in 2010 as a 15-year-old.

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The 25-year-old first joined Bournemouth on loan in June 2016 before being recalled by Chelsea six months later. He made the move to the south coast permanent in June 2017 for a club-record fee of £20m.

Ake has been capped 13 times by the Netherlands.

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Read more from Micah Richards on Man City's defensive issues - including Fernandinho's role

The summer transfer window will run for 10 weeks from July 27 and close at 11pm on October 5. A domestic-only window for trades between the Premier League and EFL then runs from October 5 and closes on Friday October 16 at 5pm. Follow all the news and analysis on Sky Sports News and across Sky Sports' digital platforms.

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