AFC Bournemouth complete club-record signing from Chelsea

Earlier this week, highly touted prospect Bertrand Traoré left Chelsea on a permanent deal to join Lyon after being resigned to the fact that he simply wasn’t going to be getting the opportunities he needed at Chelsea. Nathan Aké has now followed the suit, returning to his former loan club AFC Bournemouth but this time, on a five-year contract and a club record transfer fee to go with it.

Despite commanding the 12th highest transfer fee ever paid by a Premier League team for a center back, £20m, Chelsea are believed to rate Aké very highly thus are also believed to have insisted on a buy-back clause.

For Aké, he’s just happy to be back in red and black.

“I had a great time here last season so I’m really happy to be back. It’s an exciting challenge. Chelsea is a great club and I learned so much there but this is a new step and the right place for me to develop even more.

“The fans haven’t seen the best of me yet. I always set the bar high so I know there is a lot of things I still have to work on. With the help of the manager here I know I can keep improving and become a better player.”

-Nathan Aké; source: AFC Bournemouth

Cherries manager Eddie Howe is equally delighted with the transfer, reinforcing his defence with someone who had already proven himself in that exact same situation.

“I am delighted that we have completed the signing of Nathan on a permanent basis. He is someone we know all about, having had a very successful loan spell here last season.”

“Nathan is an outstanding young player with a fantastic attitude and a great desire to learn and develop. He has a very bright future ahead of him and I’m very pleased to say that future is here.”

-Eddie Howe; source: AFC Bournemouth

Good luck to Nathan Aké and the Cherries next season and beyond. (Just not against Chelsea.)