Fenerbahce announce Nathan Ake signing before Manchester City deal is finalised

Fenerbahce published an official statement on Friday declaring they had signed Netherlands international Nathan Ake from Manchester City — before the two clubs had actually finalised a deal. The Turkish side’s premature announcement caused bemusement in Manchester, with talks over the transfer still ongoing.

The Fenerbahce statement read: “Our club has reached an agreement with Nathan Aké, a player of the Netherlands National Team, and has signed a contract with the footballer. The player, who wore the Netherlands jersey in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, will join our team in the Austria camp following the permission process.”

Despite the procedural misstep, the move is widely expected to go through this summer. A fee of around £7m has been discussed, with the figure potentially rising to £8.5m through add-ons. The transfer would bring an end to Ake’s six-year stay at the Etihad Stadium.

Ake’s departure, combined with John Stones leaving on a free transfer, would reduce City’s senior centre-back options to four: Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, Abdukodir Khusanov, and newly signed Marc Guehi. While that remains a capable group, the depth may need reinforcing ahead of a season in which City will compete across multiple competitions.

Brazilian defender Vitor Reis, who spent last season on loan at Girona, is one candidate to bolster the backline upon his return. Homegrown centre-back Max Alleyne is another option after he terminated his loan at Watford in January to make his City debut following an injury emergency.