Tottenham opinion: Nathan Ake would be a brilliant fit for Spurs

According to a report from The Sun, Tottenham are preparing a £40million bid for Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake.

The Dutchman, 24, has been highly impressive during his time with the Cherries. He left Chelsea in 2017 and has starred for Eddie Howe’s side ever since, establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s most reliable central defenders.

The 24-year-old started all 38 games in the Premier League last season and scored four times for Bournemouth, catching the attention of Tottenham, who are planning to replace Toby Alderweireld this summer.

Tottenham fans are hoping for a big summer as they await the club’s first signing since the 2018 January transfer window. But it appears that Mauricio Pochettino is keen on strengthening his defence first before moving on to addressing other areas of the pitch.

Toby Alderweireld’s future at the club remains in doubt, with the Belgian having already been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United.

The defender has just one year left on his current deal, but at the turn of the year, Spurs triggered a clause in Alderweireld’s contract to extend his deal until 2020.

However, in doing so the club activated a £25m release clause, which runs from the start of the 2019 summer transfer window until the last two weeks.

Jan Vertonghen – one of Premier League’s best defenders in recent years – struggled with injuries last season and is already 32. So replacing Vertonghen also needs to be kept in mind.

Tottenham have Davinson Sanchez and Juan Foyth as two exciting young defenders and while the former could replace Alderweireld in the near future, Pochettino should sign Ake as a long-term replacement for Vertonghen.

Athletic and powerful, Ake is the sort of modern-day defender that Pochettino would love to have in his squad. He is a ball-playing defender, who never hesitates to come off his line with the ball and make a quick pass to one of his teammates.

The Netherlands international has a good turn of pace which helps him during recovery runs.

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A strong tackler, the 24-year-old is a commanding presence in the backline and is also a threat in the opposition during set-pieces.

What Ake lacks is footballing intelligence at the moment, however, that can be learned over time and with experience. He is still 24 and has a long way to go before fulfilling his true potential.

Verdict

There is no doubt that Ake will improve Tottenham’s backline significantly if Pochettino can find a way to land him this summer.