Bournemouth’s defender Nathan Ake reveals why he was not happy at Chelsea


Nathan Ake, Bournemouth’s defender has admitted that he was ‘broken’ while playing under Jose Mourinho at Chelsea before revitalising his career under Eddie Howe on the south coast.

The Dutchman made just seven senior appearances for the Blues in five years before completing a permanent ​£20m move to Bournemouth in 2017; going on to become a key figure at the Vitality Stadium.

The 24-year-old has also become a full international with the Netherlands since completing the move to Eddie Howe’s side.

Ake told the ​Telegraph: “I went to the first team at ​Chelsea and played under Rafa Benitez and I always thought, ‘Why is everyone saying setbacks are coming because everything is going up, up, up?’

“The season after Benitez left, I thought this was going to be my season. Then Jose Mourinho came and, without training, I got dropped into the second team.

“That was one of the toughest things for me, mentally. I was quite broken. Everything was going great, I played a few games, I was young player of the year and then I was in the reserves again.”

Ake will line up in defence once more for the Cherries as ​Bournemouth take on champions ​Manchester City at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday, with Howe’s side seeking better fortunes than when the two sides last met earlier in the season.

City snatched a last-gasp victory at the Etihad Stadium on that occasion, courtesy of a 97th-minute winner from ​Raheem Sterling, and Ake has admitted that he struggled to come to terms with the defeat.

“I had a bad game myself,” Ake said of Bournemouth’s previous encounter with City. “When I got home, my girlfriend’s family were there and I hardly spoke. I didn’t want to go out of the house. I didn’t want to be seen.”

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