AFC Bournemouth attractive proposition to talents after Ake's success

Despite being labelled by sections of Cherries’ fanbase as the club’s best-ever signing, especially in the Premier League era, there were doubts from the wider-footballing world when the centre-back joined Manchester City in the summer of 2020.

He would rot on the bench, some mused, just as he had done when struggling to break through as a youngster at Chelsea.

He would play in meaningless dead rubbers and cup games, a rotation piece to allow City’s stars rest ahead of the biggest matches.

Instead, he played the full 90 minutes of City’s maiden Champions League win, not putting a foot wrong in the 1-0 victory over Inter Milan.

Only a hamstring injury prevented the Netherlands international from featuring in every knockout fixture en route to Istanbul, Ake having to watch on from the stands as City breezed past reigning champions Real Madrid in the semi-finals.

Next season the 28-year-old will be joined by two former colleagues in the Champions League.

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Ake would have expected elite European football when he left Cherries but the same could not be said for Callum Wilson and Aaron Ramsdale.

Aged 28 when he arrived on Tyneside, Wilson arrived at a midtable Newcastle United plodding along in the final seasons of Mike Ashley’s reign.

Even the most optimistic of Newcastle fans could no forsee the trajectory the club would follow after the Saudi Arabian takeover was finally completed.

To the surprise of no one on the south coast, Eddie Howe proved a near instant success up north.

After steering the Magpies to safety last term, Bournemouth's favourite son lifted the malaise around St James' Park, taking them to the League Cup final and into the Champions League proper for the first time since the 2002-03 campaign.

Although it cannot be argued that Cherries were a direct stepping stone to European football for Wilson, it should be said that he found the platform to go and play for England whilst at Vitality Stadium, eventually going on to feature at a World Cup whilst with Newcastle.

Aaron Ramsdale’s route to the Champions League was also indirect, the goalkeeper suffering a second relegation from the top-flight after returning to Sheffield United.

His pedigree was evident during his spell at Cherries, Arsenal recognising this when they agreed to pay up to £30 million to the Blades for his services.

While an unlikely title charge faltered at the last hurdles this season, Ramsdale will be the Gunners' number one as they embark on a first Champions League campaign since the 2016-17 season.

Even after a year in the Championship, Ake’s fellow Dutchman Arnaut Danjuma found a route back into the elite of European football, the attacker starring as he helped Villarreal reach the semi-finals of the Champions League in his first season after leaving Cherries.

Whilst the four players mentioned all left Cherries following relegation and the financial pressure that brings on a club, established Premier League sides also find themselves as stepping stones to the higher echelons of the league table.

Weeks after their best-ever season ended, Brighton were already saying goodbye to one of their stars, Alexis Mac Allister departing to Liverpool.

Alexis Mac Allister won the world cup whilst with Brighton but still wanted to play for a bigger club in the form of Liverpool (Image: PA)

Despite the fact that the two teams will both play in the Europa League next season, Jurgen Klopp’s Reds represent a step-up in the footballing food-chain, a safer bet at regularly playing in the Champions League for Mac Allister.

Moises Caicedo is another likely to leave the Amex after a standout season on the south coast, Arsenal looking to strengthen their squad ahead of their Champions League return.

The Gunners are also hot on the heels of Declan Rice, proving that even success in Europe, such as West Ham’s conquest of the Europa Conference League, does not disrupt the entrenched ideas of an eco-system where small clubs are treated as the journey towards the destination of a bigger side.

Dubbed the ‘Leicester model’ after the Foxes converted the momentum of their historic and unlikely title win into consistent European football, teams outside the established top-six are now expected not to stand in the ways of want-away stars, but instead recoup a healthy fee that can be invested into the next big thing.

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Even well-run Brighton, who resisted offers for Caicedo in the January market, cannot avoid this inevitability.

Marc Cucurella's move last summer to Chelsea could potentially earn the Seagulls £62million, but the left-back's absence was not felt in Sussex as Ecuadorian Pervis Estupinan excelled in his debut Premier League season.

Of course, as Leicester’s relegation will show, the constant pressure of getting it right when it comes to replacing your best players year-after-year can eventually take its toll.

After promotion back to the Premier League in 2020, Leeds United were frequently referred to as following this model.

Surviving by the skin of their teeth at the end of the 2021-22 season, Leeds sold their best players – winger Raphinha to Barcelona and England international Kalvin Phillips to Manchester City.

Leeds fans celebrate what proved to be a stay of execution with a player who shortly moved on to win La Liga with Barcelona (Image: PA Images)

Despite racking up almost £100million worth of transfer fees, they inadequately replaced their departees, leading to their relegation back to the second-tier after a three-year stint in the top-flight.

Currently there are no major reports suggesting that any of the Cherries playing squad that impressed last season are being heavily tracked by sides in continental competition.

A rumour without substance suggested Manchester City were keen on Marcos Senesi after the Argentine adapted to life in the English top-flight, whilst head coach Gary O’Neil has joked about keeping quiet when discussing Marcus Tavernier with the press, in case bigger sides start to pay attention.

The pinnacle of the English game, the Premier League is somewhat of a poisoned chalice, promising obscene riches in exchange for a constant up-hill battle for survival and advancement.

If Cherries are to fulfil Bill Foley’s ambitions of European football, they will almost certainly have to follow the lead of many in the top-flight.

However, the success of Nathan Ake, and to a minor extent, Aaron Ramsdale and Arnaut Danjuma, proves that they can provide the right environment for talents to thrive and earn moves to Champions League sides, making them an attractive proposition to potential recruits whilst helping Cherries climb up the footballing ladder.