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Rob DawsonCorrespondent
Manchester City are closing in on a deal for Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake, sources have told ESPN.
Bournemouth are looking to cash in on the Dutchman following their relegation from the Premier League and City are close to agreeing a deal worth around £41 million.
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Manager Pep Guardiola was interested in signing Harry Maguire last summer as a replacement for Vincent Kompany but is now set to fill the void with Ake.
The 25-year-old has made 121 appearances for Bournemouth after moving from Chelsea, initially on loan, in 2016. He has won 13 caps for the Netherlands.
City have moved quickly to solve their problems at the back after agreeing a €23m deal for Valencia winger Ferran Torres. Torres is expected to be confirmed as a City player once he has undergone a medical.
Ake’s impending arrival will add further doubts about the futures of Nicolas Otamendi and John Stones. The pair have fallen behind Eric Garcia in the pecking order since the restart and have been linked with moves away from the Etihad Stadium.
Sources have told ESPN that director of football Txiki Begiristain is open to adding another central defender even if Ake does arrive. Napoli‘s Kalidou Koulibaly, Villarreal‘s Pau Torres and Benfica‘s Ruben Dias are among the names in the frame.