Frank Lampard retracts his interest in Premier League defender

Frank Lampard and Chelsea thought about bringing Bournemouth’s Nathan Ake back to Stamford Bridge this month, but the young manager has retracted his interest.

As a result of their transfer ban being cut in half by FIFA, Chelsea are in the market for some new talent to bolster their squad. Chelsea currently occupy a spot among the top four, but Frank Lampard wants to solidify their place among the league’s elite clubs and ensure that his team will play Champions League football next season.

The Blues were written off by most pundits heading into this season due to their inexperience on the pitch and on the sideline, but they are proving doubters wrong. Chelsea have plenty of promising players in attack, such as Tammy Abraham, Christian Pulisic and Mason Mount, to name a few, but Lampard was interested in signing Bournemouth’s captain Nathan Ake this month to beef up his back-line.

According to a new report from football.london, Lampard has made a surprising U-turn regarding his interest in the Dutch defender. Ake, who began his senior career at Stamford Bridge but was loaned out three times between 2012 and 2016, would have been a perfect addition to Lampard’s squad. According to the report, the problem is that Lampard does not think Ake would fit his style of play, which consists of playing defenders higher up the pitch.

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Wrong decision by Lampard

Lampard has some quality defenders at his disposal and he has a decent mix of young talent and veteran leadership, but his team has conceded more goals than any other team in the top seven. As a result, Chelsea also have more losses than any other team in the top seven. By choosing to pass on the opportunity to sign Ake, Lampard is missing out on a wealth of experience.

At 24, Ake already has 134 Premier League appearances under his belt and his best years are still ahead of him. In addition, Ake has been utilized in multiple ways over the course of his career. He has spent most of his career as a center-back, however, he has played as a wing-back at times and even as a defensive midfielder. It is also worth mentioning that Ake has averaged three goals per season while playing for Bournemouth.

Lampard is wrong when he says that Ake cannot adapt to Chelsea’s style of play. The Dutch international is a confrontational defender when he does not have the ball, but he plays with composure when he brings the ball forward. Ake would have been a reliable option for Lampard to play most weeks, but the former England international is content on moving forward without the services of Bournemouth’s best defender.