Nathan Ake injury update: Manchester City defender undergoes surgery after coming off injured in FA Cup win
Manchester City have suffered another injury setback - and are running out of defenders.
Defender Nathan Ake was forced off at halftime during City’s 3-1 victory over Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup on Saturday (March 1), and has since undergone surgery on his foot.
Limited to just 18 appearances across all competitions this season, Ake underwent surgery on Monday, March 3 to address his foot issue. As a result, he now faces an extended period on the sidelines.
In a social media post, Ake said: “This has been such a frustrating season for me but I've now had successful surgery on a fracture in my foot which has been bothering me for months and I'm looking positively to the future.”
Manchester City have not given any indication about his return date.
Pep Guardiola’s side still have 11 Premier League matches remaining, along with an FA Cup quarter-final clash against Bournemouth. Their campaign will also continue into the summer as they take part in FIFA’s Club World Cup, set to kick off in the United States in June.
Ake’s absence adds to Guardiola’s defensive concerns, as John Stones is already sidelined with a muscle injury he picked up in the Champions League defeat to Real Madrid. The England international could be out for up to 10 weeks. Meanwhile, Manuel Akanji is also dealing with an injury, leaving Rúben Dias as the only fully fit senior centre-back at Guardiola’s disposal.
January signings Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis are expected to step up in the coming weeks, while Josko Gvardiol - typically used as a left-back - could also be deployed in central defence.
With their early Champions League exit, City have a rare free week before resuming their campaign against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, March 8.