Nathan Ake will not be joining Chelsea after talks with Manchester City collapsed. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
Chelsea have stepped up their interest in Manchester City centre-back Nathan Ake reports the Daily Mail. This has come amid news that another Chelsea target, Matthijs de Ligt could potentially join Bayern Munich.
Ake was part of the Under-18 Chelsea team and rose through the ranks at Cobham. He, however, failed to break through as a starter and after a series of spells of loans, was sold to Bournemouth in 2017. Three years later, the Dutchman would make a £41 million move to Manchester City.
There too he has failed to establish himself as a first-team player, struggling to get regular game time under Pep Guardiola. The 27-year-old could muster up only 27 appearances for the Cityzens last season.
Now, five years after his departure, he could be on his way back to Stamford Bridge. A left-footed centre-back, he could be the ideal replacement for Antonio Rudiger, who joined Real Madrid on a free transfer.
The Blues are in dire need to fix their defence, having seen Rudiger and Andreas Christensen leave. Thomas Tuchel has been in the market to sign a centre-back and Ake has been identified as a potential candidate for this summer.
Chelsea would need to sign at least two centre-backs to fill the void, and along with Ake, de Ligt and Jules Kounde have been identified as potential targets. Ake could be deployed to the left side of Tuchel’s preferred back three system and could potentially thrive in the role.
The Dutchman has amassed huge playing experience since leaving the Blues. A quality centre-back, the 27-year-old is in his prime and has a lot to offer. The player would have less problem adjusting at Cobham and the League, as he is familiar with both. This would all come as a welcoming sign to Tuchel, who has the task of rebuilding the squad ahead of next season.
However, he will not come cheap. Manchester City values the defender at £50 million. Though, this price can be negotiated. Also, if Chelsea does come to an agreement, City will only sanction the sale once they get a replacement. If Chelsea doesn’t play their card right, it could become a task to land the player, something they would love to avoid.
As for the player, it would be a beneficial move for him. He will potentially get more playing time here than at City. The fans will be hoping for the club to announce some new signings since rivals Tottenham and Arsenal are ahead in this matter. With pre-season about to begin, Tuchel will hope to have some new signings to assess his squad for next season.
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