Chelsea legend Ashley Cole has spoken out on Nathan Ake and how he failed to make it at Stamford Bridge earlier in his career.
The Netherlands international looked a bright prospect in his days at Chelsea as a youngster, but never got much of a chance in their first-team before moving on to Bournemouth.
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Ake shone with the Cherries, despite their relegation from the Premier League last season, and has now ended up making a big move to Manchester City this summer.
For Chelsea fans, this will no doubt bring back bad memories, with Kevin De Bruyne going through a similar journey; neglected by the Blues in his youth, the Belgian maestro went on to look an elite talent at Wolfsburg before making his way back to England with City. The rest, as they say, is history.
Ake might have similar potential to be a big hit for Chelsea’s rivals, but Cole has suggested that he didn’t really have what it took to make the breakthrough for CFC.
Speaking to ESPN, Cole aimed what could be taken as a subtle dig at Ake by stating he might have lacked that something “special” to make it at Chelsea.
“We used to have Nathan Ake train with us, who has done well in the end at another club,” Cole told ESPN.
“But this is what happens at big clubs. Most big clubs have that. You have to have something special to make it, especially at Chelsea.”