Manchester City's squad is so powerful that it won't yield to anyone yet. A number of stars who want to qualify for the 2026 US-Canada-Mexico World Cup are also in this dressing room. The change of generations, which began with the arrival of Abdukodir Khusanov, further intensified internal competition.
Due to this competition, some players are missing regular minutes at the club. This will undoubtedly affect their status within the national team. The most striking example is Nathan Ake. The head coach of the Netherlands national team, Ronald Koeman, called him up to the October training camp, but made an open demand: "Without regular playing practice at the club - there is no space in the national team."
So, Ake is on the verge of a big decision in January: to stay and restore himself or to head to a new destination for regular appearances?
Guardiola is now more confident in the center for the Yoshko Guardiol vs. Ruben Dias duo. After them, experienced John Stones and Abdukodir Khusanov, who has proven himself in recent months, are waiting in line. Husanov's confident starts shortened Ake's "visible minutes" once again.
Traffic is also congested on the left wing, Ake's second "shelter": Ryan Ait-Nuri, who arrived in the summer, and academy product Nico O'Reilly are considered the main contenders. As a result, Nathan made only six appearances this season, most of them coming off the bench.
Koeman gave this a clear assessment: "Playing practice is the core of preparation for the national team." This signal also reached the club market: the appearance of offers for Ake in January won't be a surprise. Because it is still expensive with its versatility (center/left) and experience.
Meanwhile, a summer cleanup took place at City: Vitor Reis went on loan to Girona, Max Allen to Watford, and Manuel Akanji to Inter Milan. Abdukodir Khusanov was also on the loan list, but Pep's plans changed - and he stayed. While staying, he increased the coach's confidence, showing reliable play not only in the center but also on the right wing, which was a "pain point" for the team.
The conclusion is clear: the palette in "City" is rich, competition is uncompromising. The best solution for Ake is to find regular playing practice. Whether it's at Etixad or at a new location - January will give the answer. The path to the national team, after all, begins in minutes.
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