Bournemouth are reportedly plotting a double raid on Chelsea, as they look to land Nathan Ake and Asmir Begovic before Tuesday’s transfer deadline.
The Daily Mirror have reported that Bournemouth are considering making a dramatic late bid to bring Nathan Ake back to the Vitality Stadium. This time, though, the Cherries want the move to be a permanent one, with Ake accompanying Asmir Begovic to the south coast of England.
Nathan Ake hasn’t quite enjoyed the kind of career at Chelsea that he would have expected when he joined the Blues’ academy from Feyenoord in 2011. He initially impressed the academy coaches to progress through the senior side in 2012 as a 17-year-old teenage prodigy.
However, ever since then Ake has had a stop-start career at Stamford Bridge, being restricted to just 13 first team appearances in more than four years since. In the meantime, the Dutchman has been sent on three different loan spells to Reading, Watford and Bournemouth, notching up 45 appearances in the process.
However, it was particularly the last two loan spells where the 21-year-old impressed, being composed, assured and solid at the back while also showing his versatility to play as a centre-back, left-back as well as a wing-back.
The Bournemouth spell saw the Dutchman make a mark as he also added goals to his game, scoring 3 goals in 12 games for the Cherries. Suffice to say, Eddie Howe is an admirer of Ake’s talents, and even after Chelsea recalled the youngster earlier this month, the Bournemouth boss aspires to bring him back to the Vitality Stadium.
Ake will be a part of a twin raid on the Premier League leaders, with Bournemouth already interested in signing Asmir Begovic, however Antonio Conte has confirmed that his sale will depend on Chelsea being able to land a replacement before Tuesday’s deadline, and Ake’s move will also hinge on a replacement being signed.
David Stockdale and Craig Gordon have been scouted by the Blues, with the Celtic goalkeeper Conte’s first choice. Chelsea have already had two bids rejected for Gordon, but the Scottish goalkeeper is keen on a move to Stamford Bridge.
Schalke left-back Sead Kolasinac had been rumoured to be on Chelsea’s radar, but a bid for the Bosnian has since been rejected. With no other replacement in sight, and with Antonio Conte rating Ake very highly, it looks highly unlikely that Chelsea will let the Dutchman leave on a permanent transfer.
As far as Begovic is concerned, if the Blues can manage to land a replacement for the former Stoke goalkeeper we could yet see him move to the Vitality Stadium.