According to the Telegraph, Chelsea are plotting a move to hijack Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of Nathan Ake. Both the Premier League giants were seen as frontrunners in Ake’s signature.
But, it is believed that the Blues have an agreement to re-sign the Bournemouth defender for a fee of £40 million, a clause that was reportedly included in Ake’s initial move to Dean Court back in 2017. While this could scupper United and Spurs’ plans of signing the young defender, will it be a prudent move from Chelsea’s perspective?
Nathan Ake: Player profile and stats
A product of the ADO Den Haag youth academy, Nathan Ake spent a lot of time with the Chelsea youth sides, which unsurprisingly included various loan spells at different clubs across England.
While his initial breakthrough came at Watford during the 2015-16 season, it was at Bournemouth where the Dutchman made a name for himself, featuring in all of their league matches during the 2017-18 campaign, helping the Cherries finish ninth in the league table.
Ake has been of great importance for Bournemouth this season as well, featuring in all eight of their league matches. His formidable defensive partnership with Steve Cook has helped the Cherries climb up to sixth in the league table.
Ake has averaged almost six clearances this season while winning 1.5 aerial duels per game. Interestingly, however, his dribbled past ratio per game is only 0.1, which is the lowest among all the other Bournemouth defenders, thus reflecting his defensive solidity.
His promotion as one of Bournemouth’s regular fixtures in the starting lineup has coincided with some of the best performances from the south coast giants, and it’s only a matter of time before the 23-year-old seals a big money move next summer.
Why Chelsea should go after Nathan Ake
Nathan Ake’s return to Stamford Bridge could be a logical move because the Blues are on the verge of losing out on the services of veteran defender Gary Cahill. The former England international is linked with a move away from west London.
Thus, Ake could be an ideal long-term replacement for the 32-year-old. As iterated earlier, the Dutchman is a solid defender who is more than capable of making an impression at Stamford Bridge.
Furthermore, his addition to Chelsea will also add some valuable depth to their defensive department as they aim to make a strong impression in Europe next season.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored
