Garth Crooks has given his verdict on former Chelsea defender Nathan Ake after watching him in action for Manchester City against Liverpool this past weekend.
The former Tottenham Hotspur forward has said that he did not expect Ake to be as good as he is now when he first saw him at Chelsea.
So, what has Garth Crooks said about Nathan Ake? Let’s take a look.
What’s the story?
Well, Garth Crooks has been raving about Nathan Ake. The defender was one of the best players for Manchester City against Liverpool this past weekend, and the BBC Sport pundit was impressed.
The former Tottenham Hotspur forward has included Ake in his BBC Premier League Team of the Week.
Crooks has said that when he first saw Ake play for Chelsea, he did not think that he would become “a top-class defender” that he is now.
Ake was on the books of Chelsea from 2011 until 2017 when he moved to Bournemouth on a permanent deal after a loan spell at the Cherries.
The defender made only a handful of appearances for the Chelsea first team. The London club received a transfer fee of £20 million for Ake (The Daily Mail).
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City signed Ake from Bournemouth in 2020. The defender provided the assist for Erling Haaland’s goal against Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League this past weekend.
Crooks told BBC Sports: “I saw this lad play for Chelsea as an 18-year-old protege. He looked capable of having a career in the game but had a lot of work to do if he intended to be a top-class defender, an international or even play for the best team in Europe and that was no doubt why Chelsea let him go.
“The fact the Dutchman has now achieved all of the above tells you just how hard he has worked. The way he took two players out of the game and then delivered the perfect pass for Erling Haaland to finish against Liverpool was quite brilliant.
“This is yet another indication of the quality of Manchester City’s recruitment process. City didn’t pay a fortune for him but still managed to uncover a gem.”
Former Chelsea defender Nathan Ake flourishing at Manchester City
Nathan Ake is one of the best defenders in the Premier League and is flourishing at Manchester City now.
City manager Pep Guardiola knows how to spot a talent. That Ake is a key member of the former Barcelona manager’s team at the Etihad Stadium shows just how good he is.
Ake, who can play as a centre-back or as a left-back, has scored two goals and given one assist in seven Premier League starts this season.