After winning an historic Treble last season, City are in seven competitions in this campaign – including our first appearances in the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.
The Dutch defender was a pivotal part of the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup successes, playing 41 games across all competitions.
The 28-year-old has now signed a new contract with the Club, committing his future to City until 2027.
With the new season fast approaching, Ake is not concerned about the team’s motivation when it comes to chasing yet more silverware.
Speaking after signing his new contract, he said: “Everyone’s got the mentality of going again, going again, going again like last season.
“It was a great season but this is a new season, everyone wants to challenge for titles. All the other teams have improved a lot and they want to take the titles off us.
“So naturally there comes an instinct and a mentality that we want to do it again and we’re going to fight for that, not just give the titles away.
“I’m sure everyone is feeling the same and I think the last few games in pre-season people have been working hard and we’ve shown that people are ready to run and to give everything for this team.”
After struggling with injuries and restricted playing time in his first two seasons at the Etihad Stadium, Ake featured more in the 2022/23 campaign than in the previous two combined.
His 41 games far eclipsed the 13 appearances in 2020/21 and 27 in 2021/22.
That could largely be put down to our No.6 becoming Guardiola’s first choice on the left of the defence during the second half of the season.
Other than missing both legs of the semi-final through injury, he was part of every game during the Champions League knockout stage. He also played in 18 of the last 24 Premier League matches.
While the defender is delighted with the progress he has made in the last 12 months, he insists he can continue to develop.
When asked how much he can improve, Ake was clear with his answer.
“Loads,” he said.
“First of all, now I’m playing in a different position I can bring a little bit more forward as well.
“My main objective is defending and trying to keep clean sheets but that is where we can make improvements to see when is the moments when you can actually go forward and when is the moments when you have to be a bit more defensively secure to let the rest of the team do their stuff.
“There can be improvements made on that. There’s always little things, with the team maybe it’s the way we’re playing. Little things tactically that we can implement. I can only grow over the years for sure.”
Next Saturday marks three years since his arrival at the Club.
He puts a lot of his growth in that time down to working with Pep Guardiola.
Our boss is already the most successful manager in City’s history and widely regarded as one of the best managers in the history of the game.
After extending his contract, Ake was full of praise for the Catalan.
“You see football in a different perspective,” he said.
“The way he explains things. On the board, with videos. The way he sees football. That’s grown so much on me.
“I think that’s maybe why the first season it took a little bit of time, also with injuries, to adapt to that and learn from that.
“But once you’ve got that, you’ve got it because he explains it so well and he is so clear.
“The tactical things you see when he explains it, it gives you an extra few seconds in the game, knowing what the movements are going to be and where my team-mates are going to be because we’ve trained that and been shown where the spaces are.
“I think I don’t have to say much more about him, he’s won everything he can. He’s built this team to be competitive every season and I hope we can continue to do that.”
