A bizarre situation has developed in the summer transfer window after Turkish giants Fenerbahçe publicly announced the signing of Manchester City defender Nathan Aké, despite the Premier League champions maintaining that the finer points of the deal have not yet been signed off.
According to reports from BBC Sport, discussions are still actively occurring between the two sides to finalize the structure of the move. While a final agreement has not been fully wrapped up, the Turkish Super Lig club went public with a definitive statement claiming everything was set.
The Official Announcement
Fenerbahçe released an official statement confirming that terms had already been met with the Netherlands international:
“Our club has reached an agreement with Nathan Aké, a player of the Netherlands National Team, and has signed a contract with the footballer. The player, who wore the jersey in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, will join our team in the Austria camp following the permission process.”
The unprompted announcement reportedly caused significant bewilderment at the Etihad Stadium. While the transfer is still heavily anticipated to go through before the window shuts, Manchester City executives emphasize that key administrative details are still being actively discussed.
The Financial Package
The total financial volume of the impending transfer is expected to bring a reasonable return for a player entering the final stages of his top-flight career layout:
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Initial Base Fee: The clubs are negotiating around a baseline guarantee of £7 million.
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Performance Add-ons: The contract includes structured variables that could ultimately push the package to £8.5 million.
Looking for a Fresh Challenge
The move marks the end of a highly decorated six-year era for Aké at the Etihad Stadium following his £41 million arrival from Bournemouth back in 2020. The 31-year-old was a highly trusted asset for Pep Guardiola, winning multiple Premier League titles and a historic UEFA Champions League crown.
However, starting slots grew harder to come by over the course of the 2025/26 season, with Aké registering just six Premier League starts. Following the emergence of elite younger defensive options, new manager Enzo Maresca is reshaping the defensive corps, prompting Aké to look for a definitive fresh start in Istanbul.
