Bournemouth: Howe plays down Nathan Ake transfer gossip
Manchester City are reportedly ready to battle with Chelsea to sign Nathan Ake in the January transfer window, but Frank Lampard’s side hold a slight advantage in going after the Bournemouth defender. Ake has established himself as one of the best young centre-backs in the league during his time with Bournemouth.
Nathan Ake has been linked with a move back to Chelsea (Image: GETTY)
Pep Guardiola opted against replacing Vincent Kompany this past summer, opting instead to spend over £120m on defensive midfielder Rodri and right-back Joao Cancelo.
The decision though has come back to bite the City boss with Aymeric Laporte picking up a long-term injury, leaving Guardiola short of options at the back
Fernandinho has been utilised at the heart of the defence in a makeshift role and City are seemingly ready to challenge Chelsea for the signature of Ake to improve their options.
But the Blues hold the advantage in trying to sign the Holland international as they inserted a £40m buy-back clause into the deal which saw him join Bournemouth over two years ago.
And Chelsea scout Piet de Visser has urged the club to re-sign the 24-year-old.
“Do you know how many players from the Chelsea academy have moved away?’, said De Visser. “Dutch people too: Patrick van Aanholt, Nathan Ake.
“Ake should be playing at Chelsea now. He’s so good. He has timing and insight.
“I hope they buy him back. That boy is crazy about Chelsea and he has played with [Frank] Lampard.”
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Nathan Ake has established himself as one of the top young centre-backs in the league (Image: GETTY)
But Cherries boss Eddie Howe has warned off any potential suitors, stating the club are not willing to entertain him being sold.
“He is part of our long-term plan,” he said back in October. “Of course, he is going to have admirers from other clubs, I think that goes with the territory at this level.
“It’s part of the modern-day Premier League player that, if you do well, your media attention increases and you have to deal with that. That’s another tick in the box for Nath because he has dealt with all that. It’s never affected him, all the media talk and transfer speculation.
“The biggest compliment I can give Nathan is in his conduct, his professionalism and his leadership. I can’t speak highly enough of him. The way he conducts himself. He does it with very minimal fuss, he goes about his work but is determined to improve.”