Ake's World Cup Spot on the Line as Man City Bench Threatens Netherlands Place
Ake is warming the bench at City — and the Netherlands have made it clear that won't be good enough for a World Cup spot.
Nathan Ake is facing a race against time to secure his place in the Netherlands squad for the 2026 World Cup. The 30-year-old has barely featured for Manchester City this season, starting just twice in the Premier League, and has now been told directly by the Dutch set-up that he needs regular minutes to stay in contention.
With Van Dijk, De Ligt, Van de Ven and De Vrij all ahead of him in the pecking order, the window is narrow. An exit from the Etihad before the end of the season looks increasingly likely — and for Ake, it may be his only route to North America.
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