Premier League giants Chelsea have fallen short in their efforts to land Manchester City defender Nathan Ake.
According to The Athletic, Chelsea have been unable to reach an agreement with Manchester City regarding the summer transfer of Nathan Ake in the ongoing transfer window.
Chelsea are in the market for centre-backs following the departures of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen, respectively. The exodus makes 37-year-old Thiago Silva the club’s eminent centre-back, while Trevoh Chalobah and Malang Sarr still are far from the finished articles.
The west London outfit are close to confirming the transfer of Napoli ace Kalidou Koulibaly. However, Chelsea need more than one player to bridge the gap and must bring in at least one more proven centre-back.
Ake was touted as a potential target, and the former Chelsea academy star also agreed to personal terms regarding a return to Stamford Bridge. The prospective deal has, however, fallen through with Chelsea unwilling to meet Manchester City’s valuation of the player.
With the Blues falling short in their efforts, Ake is now set to stay put at the Etihad. The decision to continue the relationship has been termed a mutual decision taken by the Dutchman and the defending Premier League champions. Ake is a popular member of the dressing room, and Manchester City are non-plussed at being unable to sell the defender.
Ake, at 27, is in the prime of his career and has proven himself to be a key cog in Pep Guardiola’s squad. While he is far from a first XI star, Ake is a reliable stand-in who can also do a job at left-back. This versatility could prove decisive given that Oleksandr Zinchenko could be set to move from Manchester City to Arsenal.
With the deal all but dead, Chelsea will now need to focus their attention elsewhere. The Blues have also been linked with re-igniting a move for Jules Kounde, a player who has long been on their radar.
The Frenchman is not just younger than Ake but also has a higher ceiling than the Manchester City defender in terms of potential. As long as Chelsea land the Sevilla star, missing out on Ake could prove to be a blessing in disguise.