Eddie Howe managed to secure Premier League football for the second consecutive season this term as the Cherries look to end the campaign at a respectable 10th place. The English manager has achieved a remarkable feat by all means given the quality of squad he had at his disposal. The club thinks he deserves a bigger transfer kitty for next season and reportedly, they are giving the manager whatever it takes to bring back Chelsea’s Nathan Ake.
The 22-year-old Dutch international is considered a huge talent both in England and in his country, and his successful loan stint with the Cherries has more than just convinced the manager of his requirement to the emerging side. After Chelsea’s sudden recalling the centre-half back owing to their defensive crisis at the back, Bournemouth looked visibly uncomfortable in that area and it took them weeks to recover.
Which explains Howe’s desperation to bring the player back at Vitality Stadium. The club even went for a bid in the winter itself to make his move permanent but to no avail. And reportedly, they are willing to splurge as much as £30 million in the summer for the defender and Chelsea’s second choice goalie Asmir Begovic.
Bournemouth have produced some huge frustrations in the league against top teams this season, like the 4-3 win over Liverpool at home, the 3-3 draw against Arsenal at their backyard, and the frustrating draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Howe believes in free flowing in football, which needs technically gifted players in the back line, who have composure under intense pressure.
And Ake, in his short stint with the club has given them just that. A centre-half by nature, he can also play in the left back’s role as well as the central midfielders’. He made 10 league appearances for them in the first half of the season and managed three goals. Since returning to Stamford Bridge, he has managed two appearances with one goal and one assist.
It is clear that Ake’s first-team action would be limited at Stamford Bridge given the already established experienced options like David Luiz, Garry Cahill and Cesar Azpilicueta available. And though Champions League commitments might force Conte to call him into action more often than now, he will mostly be a second fiddle.
Chelsea, unlike other clubs, might be tempted to sell him this summer as was the case with Romelu Lukaku and Everton. But, the Blues have since then been busy trying to bring him back, and we expect that Roman Abramovich has learnt from his mistakes.
