Nathan Ake next? Five players who went back to their youth and how they fared

If Chelsea sign Nathan Ake, they need to hope it goes better than the last time they bought back a former youngster.

Here are five players who returned to where it all began, with varying results…

Paul Pogba
Had Sir Alex Ferguson still been in charge in 2016, United almost certainly wouldn’t have bought back Pogba from Juventus for £89million. Fergie felt Pogba had shown him and the club a ‘lack of respect’ when he walked out of Old Trafford in 2012, with the manager of the opinion that the young midfielder was an ‘extraordinary talent’ but also a ‘dreamer’.

How right he was. As Jose Mourinho discovered to his cost. Mourinho attempted to placate Pogba, even after he first tried to engineer an exit, by giving the midfielder the vice-captaincy. It was a fragile peace that was shattered when Mourinho described the record signing as a ‘virus’.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer struggled to tease any consistency from Pogba too, while Ralf Rangnick didn’t bother trying, with the player having checked out mentally a long time before his second departure as a free agent. By then, most United fans had Pogba sussed, and for those that still needed it spelling out for them, along came The Pogmentary.

The Pogmentary proves Manchester United are well rid of Paul Pogba drama…

Romelu Lukaku
“I came here as a kid who had a lot to learn, now I’m coming back with a lot of experience and more mature. I have supported Chelsea as a kid and now to be back and try to help them win more titles is an amazing feeling.”

That feeling lasted barely a couple of months before Lukaku was pining to return somewhere else. He was back at Chelsea as their record signing having left the club in 2014 after three years as a young pretender to Didier Drogba’s throne. He managed only 10 appearances before a couple of loans and, eventually, a £28million switch to Everton.

He thrived there, which convinced Man Utd to fork out £75million in 2017. Chelsea were keen then too, but he opted for Old Trafford instead. Much to his and United’s regret.

Inter took him off United’s hands, and in Italy, he re-established his credentials as a top-class goalscorer. Was he finally ready to become one of the world’s leading hit-men?

Nope. He flopped spectacularly back at Chelsea while openly flirting with his ex. Inter waited until the end of the season before pulling Chelsea’s pants down once more while borrowing Lukaku for the season.

Gerard Pique
Contrary to the…