Arsenal given huge boost in pursuit of potential £45m transfer following surprise Chelsea decision

Posted by

Arsenal have reportedly been given some very good news regarding Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake.

The Dutchman has shone with the Cherries for some time now, having previously failed to make the grade at former club Chelsea.

MORE: Promote wonderkid? New role for summer signing? Three ways Arsenal could line up without Aubameyang

In fact, the Blues have also recently been linked as admirers of Ake, with the Telegraph recently stating they were favourites over Arsenal to win the race for his signature.

That report suggested Bournemouth could listen to offers of around £45million for Ake, though Chelsea had the option of landing him for more like £40m due to having a buy-back clause in his contract.

Still, the good news for the Gunners is that a fresh update from Sky Sports claims Chelsea have cooled their interest in the 24-year-old.

Nathan Ake transfer boost for Arsenal as Chelsea cool interest

Arsenal will surely be hoping this can now put them in pole position, though one imagines Ake could also end up attracting interest from other top clubs.

Mikel Arteta, however, has inherited a difficult job at the Emirates Stadium, particularly due to the lack of quality options at centre-back.

David Luiz and Sokratis Papastathopoulos don’t look the most reliable central defensive pairing, while Shkodran Mustafi is also not a reliable enough backup.

If Arsenal could end up doing a deal for Ake at around £45m, that would have to go down as a bargain that would see them majorly strengthen a problem position.

It’s puzzling that Sky claim Chelsea don’t seem keen on the player, as they could also do with upgrades on unconvincing performers like Kurt Zouma and Andreas Christensen.

More Stories Nathan Ake