Thomas Tuchel eyes Nemanja Matic Chelsea transfer repeat as Nathan Ake decision made

Chelsea are in search of defensive reinforcements this summer in response to the departures of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen. Sevilla's Jules Kounde appears at least one of the targets likely to arrive after over a year of speculation, however, a second appears less clear.

RB Leipzig's Josko Gvardiol, Torino's Gleison Bremer and Inter Milan defender Milan Škriniar have been mentioned to fill the left side of Thomas Tuchel's defence. A surprising name can be added to that list that Chelsea fans will already have good knowledge of.

Manchester City defender Nathan Ake has been linked by reporter Nathan Gissing. It is believed Tuchel is a big fan of Ake and his situation is one to keep an eye on this summer.

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Ake came through Chelsea's academy after being signed from Feyenoord in 2011. Going on loans to Reading, Watford and Bournemouth before eventually securing a permanent move to The Cherries in the summer of 2017.

https://twitter.com/Nathan_Gissing/status/1538452306290692097?s=20&t=JGmaUy9rCHXvGkLUZ9PzZg

Man City bought Ake three years later for a reported fee of £40m and the Dutch defender has gone on to make 40 appearances across his two seasons at The Etihad.

Should Chelsea try to re-sign Ake, it would certainly bring back shades of the 2014 deal to buy Nemanja Matic back from Benfica under Jose Mourinho.

Like Ake, Matic had come through Cobham before being sold to the Portuguese club deemed not good enough. Matic returned under Mourinho and quickly became a stalwart in the centre of Chelsea's midfield, a year later helping the Blues reclaim a Premier League title.