Eddie Howe Dismisses Nathan Ake, Danny Drinkwater Chelsea Transfer Rumours

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has said Nathan Ake will not be returning to Chelsea anytime soon, as no approach has been made for the defender, while Danny Drinkwater will not be making a switch to the Cherries.

Per Goal's Chris Burton, there had been some speculation both moves could come to fruition before Thursday's transfer deadline, but Howe said Ake won't be leaving and the club's transfer plans have been all but finalised:

"We love working with him and we think he has got outstanding attributes. He's getting better and better in his position.

"The speculation, as it has been all January for us, has been purely that, as with all our players.

"We've had no contact from any other club, so it's business as usual.

 "From my perspective, we hope the majority of our business is done, if not all of it, but there's one game to go [before the transfer window closes].

"But you can't say with any certainty what will happen.

"We are very happy with the business we have done during this window but I have learnt not to give clear-cut answers in this situation as you may have to act in the last few hours.

"We hope our business is finished."

The two clubs will meet Wednesday in the Premier League.

Rui Vieira/Associated Press

Ake made the switch from Stamford Bridge to the Vitality Stadium in 2017, becoming the latest victim of Chelsea's struggles with integrating youth. He had spent the previous seasons out on loan at several British clubs, including a stint with the Cherries.

The 23-year-old has flourished at Bournemouth, becoming one of the team's top performers and an automatic starter at centre-back. He's clocked over 100 Premier League appearances:

Per Goal's Nizaar Kinsella, the Blues were smart enough to include a buy-back clause in the Ake deal, but that wouldn't guarantee a return; the player would have to agree, and he may not be too keen at this stage, considering he's finally getting regular Premier League minutes.

Such playing time is something Drinkwater can only dream of, and his minor role for the Blues has led to ample exit rumours. It's not just Premier League clubs being linked with the former Leicester City man, as Fenerbache have also been thrown into the mix, per ESPN FC's John Brewin:

The 28-year-old was a surprise arrival at Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2017, coming off a solid season with the Foxes. He was seen as a depth option off the bench and has been little more than that, with new manager Maurizio Sarri dropping him completely.

The Italian has publicly stated Drinkwater does not fit his style of play and he's free to leave the club if he wants, per Goal.