Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has confirmed that the club failed in their last-ditch attempt to sign Chelsea defender Nathan Ake on transfer deadline day.
The 21-year-old impressed at the Vitality Stadium in the first half of the season during a loan spell, but was recalled by the Blues last month.
Widespread reports claimed that the Cherries tried to tempt Chelsea into a sale on Tuesday by launching an £18m bid, but Howe has insisted that the figure was actually much lower.
"We had discussions with Chelsea. The bid that has been reported in the media was miles off the mark," Sky Sports News quotes Howe as saying.
"We made an enquiry about the opportunity of bringing him back on loan or on a permanent deal, but that was declined."
Ake has spent previous loan spells at Reading and Watford, and has made just five Premier League appearances for Chelsea since graduating from the club's academy in 2012.
Danielle Joynson
