‘I didn’t have to leave Chelsea – but it was the right thing to do,’ says Bournemouth’s Ake

Bournemouth’s record signing Nathan Ake believes that he had to take the plunge and swap west London for the south coast.

The 22-year-old defender joined the Cherries, with whom he enjoyed a loan spell last term, for a reported fee of £20 million on June 30, ending his long association with Chelsea.

Ake, who recently earned his first two senior caps for the Netherlands, reckons that Bournemouth are now a ‘bigger’ club than the one he left when he was re-called by the Blues last January.

“It was the right moment in my career to make this step,” said the Bournemouth new-boy.

“You have to make a decision for yourself and get your career going.

“Maybe I could have stayed. Chelsea did not say: ‘you have to go’ but I think we both felt it was the right time for me to play. They could not offer me a starting place and knew I had to make this decision.

(Michael Steele/Getty Images)

“But you cannot just walk in and expect to start. Every club you go to, even if you get bought for a lot of money, you still have to fight for your place.

“You have to do well in pre-season and, hopefully, I will do that.

“It is definitely a bigger club now. Bournemouth receive more credit in the press. People see the club is really growing.

“I am really happy to be part of that and feel we can grow even more.”