Manchester City have made the first move to try to land Bournemouth defender Nathan Ake in the next transfer window.
The Blues have said nothing about the 25-year-old Holland international, but MEN Sport understands that there has been contact with the Cherries.
Ake is ready to leave the south coast club, who will be relegated unless City win at Watford tonight.
But he is said to be keen on a return to Chelsea, where he spent five years before leaving to join Bournemouth in 2017.
Ake is thought to be available for around £35million, but sources close to the player say he is keeping his options open and is not in a rush to make a big decision.
Suggestions that City are advanced in terms of securing the player are not correct – they have sounded out Bournemouth, and little more.
The Blues are understood to have made Napoli stopper Kalidou Koulibaly their prime target of the summer.
But they are potentially in the hunt for two centre backs this summer, as they have yet to replace Vincent Kompany – who left last summer – and are set to say farewell to both Nicolas Otamendi and John Stones.
