Bournemouth close in on club record £20m Nathan Ake from Chelsea
Jeremy Wilson, deputy football correspondent
28 JUNE 2017 • 9:46PM
Bournemouth are close to completing the £20 million club record signing of Nathan Ake from Chelsea and are also poised to confirm Jermain Defoe’s return on a free transfer.
Including wages, the two deals will cost Bournemouth well in excess of £50 million and also follow the signing of goalkeeper Asmir Begovic from Chelsea this summer.
It is the permanent arrival of Ake, however, that is most eye-catching and perhaps sends the strongest signal both of the club’s ambition and Eddie Howe’s ability to attract players.
Ake was on loan at Bournemouth until January last season when Chelsea turned down both the suggestion of a permanent transfer or an extension of the loan.
Ake wanted the chance at Chelsea of first-team football but his only Premier League start was against Watford when the title was already confirmed.
The 22-year-old will now commit to a five-year deal at Bournemouth despite the interest of both Newcastle United and West Bromwich Albion.
Aké joined Chelsea from Feyenoord at the age of 16 and, given his obvious quality, his departure again underlines the difficulty for young players of breaking into the first team at Stamford Bridge.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/06/28/bournemouth-close-club-record-20m-nathan-ake-chelsea/