Both Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United are interested in Bournemouth’s Nathan Ake, according to reports.
The Daily Star reports that both Jose Mourinho and Mauricio Pochettino would like to add Nathan Ake to their defensive options soon.
As with most transfers of this calibre, his eventual destination would likely come down to his personal preference – as seen in 2017 when Virgil van Dijk’s choice of Liverpool reportedly decided his own future.
Ake would need to make a similar choice if he was to leave Bournemouth and while it’s certainly a difficult one, surely Tottenham Hotspur are the more appealing side.
Manchester United certainly bring prestige, money, and an almost-guaranteed push for silverware, but they also have an appalling record when signing central defenders.
Of the four currently working under Mourinho, both Chris Smalling and Phil Jones have been ‘replaced’ twice over with Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly – although now both of those players are on the verge of being replaced themselves.
United have consistently failed to develop their defenders and while it could be argued that they’ve merely bought poorly, is that really a risk that Ake wants to take with his career?
Spurs, on the other hand, have developed both Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld into two of the absolute best defenders in English football, with Davinson Sanchez looking well on his way to one day reaching that level.
The pull of United is strong for any player but for the good of his career, Spurs look a far nicer place for Nathan Ake’s talents.
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