Chelsea ace Nathan Ake set to complete £20m Bournemouth switch this week on five-year deal
Dutch star will pen long-term contract with Eddie Howe's side within the next 48 hours
NATHAN AKE will sign a five-year contract with Bournemouth as his £20million move from Chelsea is expected to be completed within 48 hours.
The 22-year-old spent the first half of last season on loan with the Cherries before being recalled in January.
Eddie Howe attempted to snap-up the defender upon his recall to the Blues for £18m, but six months later he has finally got his man.
The 22-year-old will put pen-to-paper on his long-term contract before the end of the week after returning from holiday in the Bahamas and join his new team-mates for the start of pre-season training.
Ake made a big impression during his loan spell and Bournemouth’s capture of the promising youngster will be seen as something of a coup by Howe.
They have beaten off competition from West Brom, Newcastle, Southampton and West Ham as well as several sides from abroad.
The Cherries decided to make their move after failing to persuade former Chelsea captain John Terry to join them as a free agent.
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Nathan Ake factfile
- Nathan Ake was born in The Hague, Netherlands, on February 18 1995
- ADO Den Haag were his first club after joining them aged eight
- Three years later he joined Feyenoord's academy and spent four years with the Dutch giants
- Chelsea spotted Ake's potential and snapped him up as a 16-year-old-old in 2012
- The defender has enjoyed loan spells with Reading and Watford before spending the first half of last season with Bournemouth
- Ake only played seven Premier league matches for Chelsea during his five years with the club
- He is now set to become Bournemouth's record signing for £20m
Although the Premier League champions had no great desire to offload Ake, who joined them at 16 from Feyenoord, they were unable to give him assurances of regular football.
And his desire to play on a weekly basis led to them allowing him to leave Stamford Bridge.
He now becomes the second player to leave Chelsea for Bournemouth this summer.
Howe has already forked out to add goalkeeper Asmir Begovic to his squad.
And his recruitment is showing no signs of slowing down as he looks to improve on last season's ninth-place finish.
