Fenerbahçe said on Friday that they had agreed a deal to sign Nathan Aké before the transfer was fully finalised, leaving Manchester City waiting on the last steps. The move is being discussed at around £7m, potentially rising to £8.5m. It would also bring an end to Aké’s six years at the Etihad.

Fenerbahçe’s announcement

The club’s public statement did not leave much room for nuance. "Our club has reached an agreement with Nathan Aké, a player of the Netherlands National Team, and has signed a contract with the footballer," Fenerbahçe said.

That was the problem. The statement framed the transfer as done, but both sides had not yet finished the deal. Another Fenerbahçe line, from a separate report, went even further, saying the club had "reached an agreement with and signed a contract with Nathan Ake" and that he would join the squad after his leave of absence.

For Manchester City, this was an awkward way for an exit to surface. City are still operating at a high level domestically, having finished second in the Premier League with 78 points, and their last five league results were mixed but strong. Aké is leaving a squad that is still very much built to compete.

What the move says about both clubs

The most striking part is not the fee, although £7m rising to £8.5m is a modest return for a player of Aké’s profile. It is the timing. Fenerbahçe’s own recent European form, WLDLW, suggests why they may want more experience and defensive reliability. The club has been willing to move fast, even if that speed has now caused confusion.

For City, the deal marks the end of a six-year spell for Aké that never quite became a headline story, but always mattered to squad balance. This is not a dramatic sale in footballing terms. It is a messy announcement, and one that shows Fenerbahçe were keen to get the news out before every box had been ticked.

The transfer still appears to be moving in Fenerbahçe’s direction. It is just not the clean unveiling they seemed to want on day one.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →