Chelsea have to react quickly as Man City plot £35m move to sign 25-year-old Dutch star

Chelsea will have to move fast if they want to sign Nathan Ake

According to the Daily Star, Chelsea will have to move fast if they are to beat Manchester City to the signing of Nathan Ake.

The Dutch international spent five years at Chelsea before moving to Bournemouth in 2017. He has since emerged as a leading player for the Cherries, who look destined to go down this season.

The defender’s sale included a buyback clause that the Blues could enforce. This would see us sign him back for £40m. However, there appears to be some confusion regarding its validity.

According to the report, it was believed to have expired in January. It now appears that it extends into the summer.

Manchester City have now entered the race to sign the 25-year-old. The Sky Blues are keen to bring in the player for £35m as Pep Guardiola looks to rebuild his porous defence.

Manchester United too were linked with a move for the Dutchman. Their manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was pictured talking to the player, fueling speculations of a move.

Chelsea have suffered defensively throughout the season. The Blues have moved fast to bring in both Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner ahead of next season. However, neither of them will help solidify the rearguard.

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Defensive reinforcement is required if we are to have a well-balanced squad to counter the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City.

The latter has an attack capable of competing against the best, however, their lack of defensive solidity has seen them fall miles behind Liverpool, who have a settled backline.

It is time Chelsea learnt from the mistakes of Guardiola and ensure it is not repeated at Stamford Bridge.