Ake recalled: These 2 on-loan Chelsea players should follow him back to Stamford Bridge this month
Britain Football Soccer - AFC Bournemouth v Southampton - Premier League - Vitality Stadium - 18/12/16 Bournemouth's Nathan Ake in action Reuters / Hannah McKay Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.
As confirmed on Chelsea’s official website, the Blues have officially recalled Dutch defender Nathan Ake from his loan spell at Bournemouth…
Whilst not a starter with the Cherries earlier in the season, Ake had, within a matter of weeks, forced himself into the plans of Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe – and he hasn’t looked back since.
Playing across the defence, Ake quickly became a regular feature at the Vitality Stadium – and clearly Antonio Conte was impressed.
Nathan Ake is, undoubtedly, one of the Blues’ more high-profile loanees, but it must be made clear that in Chelsea’s near-40 man strong loan army – there is a vast amount of talent that Conte could also look to make the most of.
Ake will undoubtedly be important as the season goes on, but with Conte seemingly preferring young, homegrown talent to signing foreign stars – could a few more follow Ake back to Stamford Bridge?
That being said, these 2 on-loan Chelsea players should follow Nathan Ake back to Stamford Bridge this month…
Lewis Baker
Lewis Baker is an attacking midfielder by trade, and his fine form in the Netherlands with Vitesse has surely not gone unnoticed.
Able to play across the attack, Baker is an expert technician – able to play with both feet, dribble past players with ease, and pose a real threat from a set piece.
At 21-years-old, like Ake, Baker is entering into a vital time in his career, and in many ways – it is now or never.
The recent departure of Oscar leaves a Baker-shaped hole in the Chelsea first team – and Conte would be wise to utilise the young Englishman as a result.
Bertrand Traore
Bertrand Traore is a strange case, given that he was a pretty important part of the Chelsea first team last season – yet he has fallen off the radar this year.
Antonio Conte decided to loan him to Ajax this season, and whilst the Burkina Faso national has looked good in parts in the Netherlands – a move back to Stamford Bridge should certainly be considered.
He has already score a few times in both competitive and non-competitive competition for Chelsea, and he would serve as a decent 3rd choice option for Conte.
He is young, but the forward has all the talent.