CHELSEA “hold the cards” over any move for Cherries defender Nathan Ake, according to the Daily Telegraph.

The publication claims Cherries have “a gentleman’s agreement” in place with the Dutch defender’s former employers which “would allow them to re-sign him for a fee of around £40million”.

Ake joined Cherries from Stamford Bridge for a then club-record £20million in June 2017.

He featured in all of the Dorset club’s top-flight fixtures last season, playing an integral role in guiding Eddie Howe’s men to a 12th-place finish.

Reports of interest in Ake from Manchester United and Tottenham surfaced in the Daily Star last week, with both Jose Mourinho and Mauricio Pochettino thought to be “keeping track” of the 23-year-old, according to the tabloid.

But the Telegraph stated a bid from either club “would force Bournemouth to offer Chelsea the opportunity to make a move and leave the other two clubs sweating”. Chelsea have reportedly not signalled their interest in snapping up the central defender and “any move to re-sign him would have to be agreed by the player”.

Ake gave a video interview to Voetbal International following the Netherlands’ 3-0 win over Germany on Saturday, which appeared to play down talk of a move.

A translated version of the quotes was later published by footballoranje.com.

The quotes read: "I've seen it pass by but of course it’s rumours. At the moment I play at Bournemouth and that is going well, so I focus on that.

“This does not say much about my status yet. They are rumours on the internet and as long as I do not hear anything myself, I will not go into that.”