Nathan Aké has openly admitted that his limited playing time at Manchester City could affect his chances of being selected for the Netherlands squad ahead of the upcoming World Cup, following honest conversations with head coach Ronald Koeman.
Speaking after City were held to a frustrating draw by Sunderland, as reported by SoftFootball, the defender revealed that Koeman has made his stance clear on several occasions regarding the importance of regular club football.
The 30-year-old acknowledged that the message from the Dutch boss, which was shared by Fabrizio Romano on his official X account, is straightforward. If he is not playing consistently, a national team call-up becomes difficult.
Fabrizio Romano posted:
Nathan Aké: Ronald Koeman said to me a few times that he wants me to play more and it is difficult to call me up if I don’t play a lot, obvious.
Every player wants to play as much as possible. The only thing I can say is I keep fighting every time…
Aké stressed that the situation is obvious, even if it is challenging, adding that every footballer wants to be on the pitch as much as possible. He insisted his focus remains on fighting for his place whenever opportunities arise, maintaining professionalism despite stiff competition at City.
Aké has started just three Premier League matches this season, with Pep Guardiola having several strong defensive options available. Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol remain first choices, while Abdukodir Khusanov has impressed when called upon.
John Stones’ recent injury briefly opened the door, but minutes have still been hard to come by. SoftFootball also highlighted City’s defensive rotation in recent matches, including their narrow win over Nottingham Forest, where squad depth again played a major role.
Despite the lack of starts, Aké has refused to complain publicly. He reiterated that his mindset has not changed, saying the only thing he can control is his effort whenever he is selected.
That attitude was evident against Sunderland, where he completed the full match despite twisting his knee early on. Aké later explained he felt discomfort throughout the game but believed it was nothing serious since he managed to finish the 90 minutes.
With the World Cup now just months away, Aké’s situation has naturally sparked transfer speculation. A January move could offer him the regular football Koeman is demanding, although Manchester City value his experience and versatility.
For now, Aké remains calm, focused, and determined, aware that his World Cup dream may depend on turning patience into playing time before the season runs out.
