Chelsea so far have been favourites to sign Nathan Ake from AFC Bournemouth during the January transfer window but it looks like Arsenal have also joined the race.

Gunners defender Calum Chambers picked up a bad injury and it is highly unlikely that the centre-back will play any further part this season which has now forced Mikel Arteta to change his transfer plans.

Arteta said via The Telegraph: “That we will try to be in the market to see options that can strengthen the team, that’s for sure and that’s our obligation. We are going to be working on that.

“My obligation is to give my opinion on the things we can improve. We have some bad injuries with Calum a few days ago, which is obviously going to change our plans at the back. But the reality at the moment is that we are not going to be able to do much.

“He’s in London having surgery and we will know more when he comes back from theatre. It will be a significant injury and we will see what the doctor says, but it’s not looking good.”

And after this injury, there have been numerous reports which claim that Arteta wants Arsenal to make a move for Nathan Ake.

Ake moved to Bournemouth from Chelsea in 2017 and as part of that very same deal, the Stamford Bridge outfit can sign the defender for as low as £40 million.

And this is why the Cherries will have no other option but to listen to offers of £45 million from rival clubs.

While £45 million might seem a lot but with the kind of shambles that the Arsenal defence are in right now, this much money for someone like Ake makes total sense.

But it also depends on which club the defender would want to join since both of them can safely offer him regular first-team football.

Having said this though, Chelsea have a major advantage since they can offer Nathan Ake Champions League football this season and possibly the next campaign as well.

Update(4th January 2020):

Despite Arsenal and Chelsea both being heavily linked with Nathan Ake it seems like neither club have made any formal approach according to Eddie Howe.

When asked if there has been any bids for the currently injured defender, the Cherries manager said: “There is nothing to reply.

“He is recovering well from his injury, we will see when he is back fit.”

Ake is currently out injured but he is expected to make a full recovery by the end of the current month.

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