West Ham keen on signing City's midfielder Nathan Ake in January

Nathan Ake has been a bit-part player for Pep Guardiola since his £40 million move from Bournemouth to the Etihad Stadium in 2020, falling behind

Ruben Dias

,

John Stones

, and

Aymeric Laporte

in the chain of importance. 

Despite winning his first

championship and the

, injuries and the high level of contention for positions at the team have limited the Netherlands international to a supporting role. 

According to West Ham journalist Roshane Thomas of The Athletic, Ake, who has appeared in over 150 Premier League fixtures in his career, has been 'heavily connected' with a January deal to the London Stadium.

Despite being fourth-choice in his position, Manchester City want to maintain their grip on Ake, which might be owing to his mobility all over the defensive line and experience in midfield. 

The theory isn't new, as a report earlier this month suggested that a transition might happen as early as January. 

The Hammers have a center-back issue, with first-team regular

Angelo Ogbonna

forced out for the season owing to an ACL injury and

Kurt Zouma

recovering from a hamstring tendon injury. 

Only Craig Dawson and Issa Diop are fit to play for the east London club, with David Moyes' first-choice central defense duo out of action for the lengthy period.

Ake, like Ogbonna, is a left-footer with much of Premier League history, making him an interesting addition for West Ham, who have battled for points in recent weeks following a great start to the season. 

Furthermore, Ake's experience playing on the left side of a back four for Cityzens might be a major factor for West Ham to show interest in acquiring the former Bournemouth player, with the Hammers aiming to bolster their left-back alternatives in addition to their center-back options.

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