New Manchester City signing Nathan Ake has opened up on how he is hoping to emulate Virgil van Dijk, having spent time learning from the Liverpool star.
City confirmed back in August they had signed Ake from Bournemouth in a deal worth £41m, with the Netherlands international penning a five-year contract at Etihad Stadium.
Ake joined Bournemouth in 2017 for a club record fee and made 121 appearances for the Cherries.
And now opening up on his move ahead of City’s opening game of the season against Wolves tonight, Ake revealed how he is hoping to follow in the footsteps of the Liverpool star and fix City's defensive woes.
“It’s more seeing it [from him than speaking to him about it],” the former Chelsea man told The Telegraph when asked about Van Dijk’s leadership.
“Like with that clip the national team put out on Instagram with the way he was communicating. It’s those kind of things I’m trying to pick up and learn from.
“The way he behaves on the pitch as a leader, always talking, always organising the line, helping the other people in front of him, I’ve picked up those kinds of things over the year and try to implement them in my own game and get that leadership.
“It’s not easy. In the last year especially, I tried to step it up at Bournemouth more on the pitch, and sometimes off it - things like organising the team, trying to pick them up in certain situations when the team wasn’t playing well, trying to give information, even in training sessions to get the team going.
“That is what Virgil does all the time, and that is what I have been trying to learn. I think I have got better over the last year. I still have things to improve but I’m sure I can do that.”
Ake was part of the Cherries side that was relegated to the Championship last season, and he is also hoping to follow in the footsteps of Georginio Wijnaldum, who was relegated with Newcastle United in 2016 but bounced back to win the Champions League and Premier League with Liverpool.
“I’ve not spoken to him specifically about that experience but it’d be nice if I could do the same,” he said.
“Obviously it’s a big step [from Bournemouth] and different expectations but I’ve been in those situations before, with Chelsea and the national team, where you’re expected to win so I know the feeling.”
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