12.07.2026 16:30
Fenerbahçe's new signing, Dutch footballer Nathan Ake, stated that the transfer process developed quickly, saying, "I immediately spoke with Ederson and he told me this is a great club. Coming here was an easy decision for me."
While Fenerbahce continues their new season preparations in Austria, new signing Dutch footballer Nathan Ake spoke to the club's television channel.
''I CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS''
Speaking about his reception by the team, Ake said, 'I am happy and very excited. My first days are going quite well. I have been welcomed very well by everyone here. They asked about my family and talked about life in Istanbul. I also had a conversation with our coach. He asked about my current situation and mentioned his plans. We will talk more as time goes on. I hope we all have a good season together, and I can't wait for it.'
''I SPOKE WITH EDERSON''
The Dutch footballer, stating that Fenerbahce had previously shown interest in him, said, 'The transfer process developed very quickly. The offer from here caught my attention. I immediately spoke with Ederson, and he told me this is a great club. He also mentioned that our stadium has a wonderful atmosphere and our fans are amazing. Hearing that excited me. After that, we quickly completed the transfer processes with Manchester City. Coming here was an easy decision for me.'
''I WILL BE COMPLETELY READY''
The 31-year-old footballer, speaking about his physical and mental preparation process, said, 'After my last match, I had 8 days off. During that time, I tried to relax. After long seasons, you especially need to rest mentally. I think I will be in good physical shape after a few training sessions. I don't think it will take much time to be ready because, as I mentioned, it hasn't been long since my last match. In a few days, I will be completely ready.'
''COMMUNICATION IN THE DEFENSIVE LINE IS IMPORTANT''
The experienced footballer, speaking about his football philosophy and making observations, said:
'It's hard for me to talk about myself, but I can say that I am always a highly concentrated defender. Of course, my primary job is to defend and help with the defensive line organization. I also try to be smart with the ball. The most important thing I try to do defensively is read the game. Being able to anticipate when to make a move and when not to, and reading the game, are my strengths. Communication in the defensive line is very important. You need to have a very good relationship on the field in defense. This applies to all players, but it's especially important for the defensive line. The more you play together, the more you know each other, the better your communication becomes. Sometimes there isn't time to communicate on the field, so if you know how the player next to you plays, you react accordingly. The more you know your teammates on the field, the easier things become. This communication will increase over time as we play.'
''THEY ARE PREPARING ME FOR THE FIRST MATCH''
Nathan Ake, stating that his teammates are preparing him for their first home match, said, 'All my teammates talk about how full our stadium is and how passionate our fans are. I have also seen some clips on social media. I am very excited. I can't wait to experience it live. Especially after my transfer, I received many welcome messages on social media. Seeing those messages made me feel at home. So, I thank them very much.'
''OUR FIRST GOAL IS TO QUALIFY FOR THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE''
Ake, expressing that he sees the new season as a big challenge, concluded his words by saying, 'I know our team hasn't won the championship for many years, and we haven't been in the Champions League for a long time. Our primary goal is to first qualify for the Champions League, and we will do our best for that. After that, we will compete in four fronts, and Fenerbahce fights to win in all the fronts it is involved in. We will give our best. We will take it match by match. First, our target is the qualifying matches. Then we will start the league well and continue that way. I thank our fans very much for their support. Let them continue to stand behind us. We will always give our best. I hope we will all have a good season together, and we will fight for it.'