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Official:
Bournemouth have signed defender Nathan Ake for a club record fee from Premier League Champion,Chelsea.
The 22-year-old Holland international scored three goals in 12 appearances for Bournemouth last season before being recalled in January by Chelsea, where he featured sporadically as Antonio Conte's side won the Premier League title and reached the FA Cup final.
The fee, reported to be £20m, breaks Bournemouth's previous record - the £15m paid to Liverpool for winger Jordon Ibe in July 2016.
Aké’s signing will be seen as something of a coup for Bournemouth, who have beaten off competition from West Bromwich Albion, Newcastle United, Southampton and West Ham United as well as a number of overseas clubs.
England striker Jermain Defoe signed on Thursday from Sunderland and Bosnia goalkeeper Asmir Begovic arrived from Chelsea in May. Ake has signed a long-term deal and is the Cherries' third summer signing. Ake joined Chelsea in 2012 and made 17 appearances for the Stamford Bridge side. He spent the 2015-16 season on loan at Watford in the Premier League.
The defender, who moved to Chelsea from Dutch side Feyenoord,aged 16, has won two caps for Netherlands and made his debut in a friendly against Morocco in June. Bournemouth’s manager, Eddie Howe, said: “Nathan is an outstanding young player with a fantastic attitude and a great desire to learn and develop. He has a very bright future ahead of him and I’m very pleased to say that future is here.”
Nathan Ake became known for his long dreadlocks and incredible passing accuracy.
Chelsea had no great desire to sell Aké, who joined them from Feyenoord at the age of 16 and has plenty of admirers within the club because of his exemplary attitude as well as his talent, but the Dutchman is desperate to play regular first-team football and the Premier League champions are unable to give any assurances on that front.
Aké has spent much of the previous two campaigns on loan, making 34 Premier League appearances for Watford and Bournemouth, but there was no appetite for another temporary move this summer. There is a feeling on Aké’s part that the time has come to put down some roots and Bournemouth, where he enjoyed working under Howe, seemed as good a place as any to develop his career.
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