Transfer: Manchester City agreed to sign Bournemouth’s Nathan Aké

Transfer: Manchester City agreed to sign Bournemouth’s Nathan Aké

Manchester City has agreed to sign Nathan Aké from Bournemouth for £40m, rising to a possible £41m with add-ons. It takes their outlay in two days to more than £64m after a deal was struck to buy the winger Ferran Torres from Valencia.

Pep Guardiola turned to Aké after hitting problems in his pursuit of Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly. The fee represents a significant profit for Bournemouth, who signed the Netherlands international from Chelsea for £20m in 2017.

Aké’s departure became inevitable after Bournemouth’s relegation from the Premier League and with the 25-year-old the only high-earner there not to have a clause to reduce his wages, although City had expected to sign him in any event. His wage at Bournemouth is about £80,000 a week.

Guardiola has been intent on strengthening his defense after City’s limp title defense following the departure of Vincent Kompany and with John Stones failing to live up to expectations.

Aké, who had two years on his contract, is on holiday but is expected to have a medical within days before sealing a club-record sale for Bournemouth. Joshua King and Callum Wilson are also expected to leave in the coming weeks, and there is thought to be interested in Aaron Ramsdale and David Brooks.

City lined up Torres after Leroy Sané’s move to Bayern Munich. Last season the Spaniard became Valencia’s youngest goalscorer in the Champions League and he will cost an initial £24.5m.