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When Chelsea bought Nathan Ake to AFC Bournemouth for £20m in 2019, the membership’s switch division would possible have been patting one another on the again and providing reciprocated congratulations for a job nicely executed, however quick ahead a number of years and the dynamic Dutch defender is an everyday choice for Manchester Metropolis.
Certainly, after forging 121 appearances for the Cherries, the 27-year-old penned a £41m cope with the Cityzens in 2020 and has since made 63 appearances, scoring six targets.
This would possibly appear to be a comparatively meagre quantity of fixtures over two-and-a-half seasons, however Ake is beginning to blossom into his personal and emerge as a key part of Pep Guardiola’s system.
This season, Ake has performed his most distinguished function, having performed 23 occasions throughout all competitions and having began the previous seven league contests in succession.
He has been one of many Sky Blues’ most stunning stars this season, with Sofascore recording his common ranking at a stable 6.95 within the Premier League this time period, the place he has accomplished 92% of his passes, accomplished 67% of his dribbles and gained 69% of his floor duels; sturdy and dependable.
Ought to Chelsea have stored maintain of Nathan Ake?
Positively!
No approach!
And with FBref rating him among the many prime 1% of centre-backs in Europe for each tried passes and progressive passes, the highest 9% for progressive carries and the highest 5% for shot-creating actions, he’s evidently probably the most ball-comfortable and offensive-minded of his place throughout the whole lot of the sport.
His late blossom to prominence is partly a consider why Chelsea bought him within the first place, with the £20m that Bournemouth supplied rightfully thought of a superb deal for the north London membership.
However with Chelsea having spent greater than £550m on new arrivals since Todd Boehly assumed possession of the outfit final 12 months, the “incredible” Metropolis defender – as hailed by worldwide team-mate Virgil van Dijk – is one other instance of how Chelsea may need saved tens of millions had they entrusted the trajectory of his growth in the long term.
And with CIES Soccer Observatory ranking his market worth at £45m at current, the Blues maintain the information of promoting their starlet for lower than half of the sum, with that maybe a sign a blunder was made within the switch market.
Whereas the Blues are actually jam-packed with defensive choices after Boehly’s profitable spending spree, observing Ake’s current purple patch for one of many sport’s most distinguished and devastating outfits is a reminder that Cobham youth ranks provide an abundance of budding expertise simply ready to be channelled.
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