CHELSEA are looking increasingly unlikely to re-sign Nathan Ake from Bournemouth this month.
It is believed that the centre-half was on a list of potential targets, despite leaving the club to join the Cherries in June 2017 for £20m.
Nathan Ake’s return to Chelsea looks off as Andreas Christensen has returned to formCredit: Rex Features
But with fellow defender Andreas Christensen set to be handed a Chelsea lifeline, Ake’s return to the Bridge looks to be off.
SunSport exclusively revealed that unless Christensen was moved on, Ake wouldn’t be rejoining the Londoners this month.
Blues boss Frank Lampard was full of praise for Christensen after his performance in the 3-0 thrashing of Burnley at the weekend.
And according to The Athletic, the player himself is keen to stay and fight for a place in the team.
MILAN MOVE RULED OUT
Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Juventus have all been linked with the Dane previously.
And AC Milan are the latest club to throw their hat in the ring. But Lampard appears keen for the 23-year-old to stay at the club.
Speaking after the Burnley win, the gaffer said: “Yes, I can rule it out [a move to AC Milan].
“I like Andreas as a player. I’ve always liked him. I used to train with him and saw the talent coming through.
“He is certainly a player that gets slightly misjudged on age.
LAMPARD A BIG FAN
“I think he’s been around a long time and went on loan at a young age and did particularly well and people think that he’s probably older than he is.
“He’s still relatively young so that’s absolutely on his side.
“What I want from Andreas is to be the best he can be.
“When you see him and you see the height, the athleticism and the quality on the ball, particularly in choice of pass, then I think he can be all the things I want him to be and I want to work towards that. He knows that.
“What I will say is those little bits in his game can really make him the fantastic centre-half I think he can be.”
While Christensen was keeping a clean sheet against Sean Dyche’s Burnley, Ake and team-mates were getting torn apart at home to Watford.
Abdoulaye Doucoure, Troy Deeney and substitute Roberto Pereyra all netted in an easy-as-you-like 3-0 win on the south coast.
Andreas Christensen is poised to STAY at Chelsea, with boss Frank Lampard impressed with himCredit: Rex Features
Lampard says no decision has been made on Olivier Giroud’s future
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
