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It's a good day to be Nathan Ake. This morning we learned that Ake had agreed a new five-year deal with the club, and later in the afternoon we learned where he'd be spending the 2013/14 season. During halftime of the broadcast, Chelsea assistant coach Jim Fraser confirmed that Ake would not be heading out on loan, but would instead remain with the Blues U21 side this season.
Remaining with Chelsea for the 2013/14 season would mean the 18-year old has been at the club for three full seasons, making him both homegrown by the Premier League's rules and club trained by UEFA standards. Both classifications will be useful going forward, even if both were likely to eventually happen anyway.
The fact that Ake will be with the U21 side this season should also help alleviate the need for Chelsea to buy additional midfield cover, as Ake proved last season that he's pretty solid depth if injury strikes. With the Capital One Cup and Champions League group stage this autumn, there's a very good chance he sees a few first team minutes in addition to playing with the U21 side.