Reports suggest talks have accelerated for Chelsea to sign Nathan Ake alongside Raheem Sterling from Manchester City this summer.
According to The Times, the Blues have got closer to a deal over the last few days, with personal terms being discussed despite no agreement as of yet.
Todd Boehly and co will be assuming that personal terms will be no problem to sort, with the club already reported to have come to an agreement with Sterling on personal terms.
The move would see Chelsea address the well-documented issue of no defensive depth, following the departures of Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger. With Cesar Azpilicueta’s future up in the air, it is imperative the Blues begin to work on this, with their pre-season tour beginning at the end of this week.
The Times understand that the Blues have made a breakthrough in their quest for a centre-back, with discussions over the Netherlands international developing in the last few days – which suggests that a deal could be on the horizon.
Ake has developed his game since leaving Stamford Bridge in 2017, with him gaining Premier League experience with Bournemouth before joining City and winning three more league titles.
He has shown his worth for the national team too, with Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk labelling him as ‘fantastic’.
The 27-year-old would be a wise ambition for the Blues, with his ability to play on the left of defence a bonus for any potential addition at the back.
With Rudiger’s breakthrough as an elite defender on that side of a back three, a capable replacement is essential this summer, and the fact that Ake can naturally play the position should give him the platform to build.
Thomas Tuchel will be hopeful the deal can get over the line, so they can look to add another defender to the squad in the coming weeks. With the left side potentially covered, Jules Kounde could be the ideal signing to compliment Ake, with his versatility to play on the right a major benefit.