Date: 29th October 2018 at 8:31am
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During the international break, many articles emerged on reported transfer rumours regarding AFC Bournemouth and Netherlands defender Nathan Ake.

Both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur were both linked with potential £40million bids in the upcoming January transfer window.

Then, after the 23-year-old returned to Dean Court he was linked with being a potential target for Pep Guardiola at Premier League champions Manchester City.

It’s fair to say that Nathan Ake’s stock has never been higher.

But is it fair to say that he will have his head turned by all the interest in him from the top clubs in the Premier League?

After all, he did want to leave Chelsea, who at the time were Premier League champions themselves as he wanted regular first team football.

A move to Manchester United, Tottenham, Manchester City or even a return to Chelsea would bring financial benefits and the opportunity to perhaps break into the side and fight for silverware and European honours, but would it guarantee regular first team football and the development that Ake was in search of when he opted to make the move to the south coast?

AFC Bournemouth captain Simon Francis believes that AFC Bournemouth and working with Eddie Howe is the best option for Ake right now and he told the Daily Echo

“…Nath is a great age and is playing some fantastic football. I couldn’t think of a better club for him to progress at than here, because of the manager and our style of play.

“It could be easy for him to be lured to a big club where, potentially, he might not play week in, week out. But here, he’s playing in a good footballing side and he gets a lot of the ball, he defends really well and reads the game excellently.

“I think we are the perfect match for him at the moment.”

Your say…

Neil Dawson wrote…

I think the often quoted £40m is because that’s the clause in our first dibs to Chelsea transfer agreement. That will trigger his move and only if Chelsea doesn’t want him will it become a bidding war. He loved it there and they are in the most need of defensive players so I would expect they might just accept it.

As others have said we have been very fortunate as a fan base not to lose our best players…this won’t last forever and you can foresee bids for Ake and potentially King in the next two windows. Cook if he regains last seasons form. Everyone else should stay.

The good news is we can plan for the inevitable… 40m will get you two Lerma equivalent centre halfs from Europe or Mepham and one other with plenty of change.

Although won’t most people on here not want him replaced and to go with a new training ground instead? – Join the conversation, click here.

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