One Player Bournemouth Must Buy This Summer | OneFootball

Summer Planning and Transfer Strategies in the Premier League

Transfer Window Anticipation

As we approach the summer break, teams will be well into their planning for the upcoming transfer window and despite the fact that there are still five weeks until the final day of the 23/24 Premier League season, moves will already be in motion.

Every team has needs they need to address in the transfer market, even treble winning Manchester City who are looking a good bet for a second consecutive treble. So I felt like now would be a good time to start looking at each team and pick one area they should look to sign a player for, and pick that player to save them the hassle.

Let’s continue our alphabetical wander through the Premier League with Bournemouth. You’ll note that Bournemouth are not first in this series, they are third. None of that AFC nonsense on these pages.

Bournemouth’s Campaign Review

Andoni Iraola has overseen an exceptional campaign so far, making the talking heads who slammed Bournemouth for their decision to move on from Gary O’Neil look foolish. We need not even mention those who called for the Spaniard to be sacked early in the season after Bournemouth had a difficult start to the season.

Iraola has overcome injuries to key players like Lloyd Kelly, Alex Scott, and Tyler Adams among others, dips in form from players like Dango Ouattara, and the standard financial limitations that come from working for one of the smaller clubs in the Premier League to have Bournemouth within striking distance of a top-half finish.

Seasonal Achievements and Future Prospects

The Cherries have already taken three points more than they did last season, with six games remaining, and have drawn many admirers due to their style of play and resolute nature. This is no “miracle survival,” this is a genuinely good football team.

Heading into the summer they will no doubt look to strengthen again, with the ambitious Bill Foley having already shown a willingness to spend money and solidify the club in the Premier League.

Transfer Needs and Priorities

Bournemouth are well stocked in attack, and barring departures likely won’t need to any further additions bar potentially converting Enes Unal’s loan into a permanent deal.

They could probably do with buying some Tyler Adams insurance in the defensive midfield spot given the American’s injury issues, and perhaps they could take a look at the long-term future of the goalkeeping position. The most pressing need will be in defense. Particularly a starting central defender to partner the excellent Illya Zabarnyi. It might be advisable to seek better depth in both fullback spots, but a partner for Zabarnyi should be the priority.

Lloyd Kelly looks set to depart when his contract ends in the summer, and while Marcos Senesi is a fine player he’s probably best suited to be a squad player, as are Chris Mepham and James Hill.

Ideal Candidate: Jacob Greaves

Iraola has shown that he likes to have a right-footed central defender and a left-footed central defender to help with build-up play and create the right passing angles, and one thing that has been notable about Bournemouth is that they do lack a little bit of additional height at the back.

Jacob Greaves of Hull City would be a perfect fit for Bournemouth with his combination of size, strength, and speed exactly what their defensive line is missing. The 23-year-old is a natural leader which would benefit Zabarnyi and left back Milos Kerkez, who are both young and still relatively inexperienced.

Greaves wins 74% of his aerial duels, which is an elite number, whilst contesting over five per game. For context, Kelly wins over 57% while contesting only 2.5 per game, and Senesi is even worse – winning 47% of 2.9 per game. Greaves would represent an enormous upgrade in this, and other areas.

Greaves is very comfortable on the ball and can play line-breaking passes, as well as carry the ball through the lines when required. He completes in excess of 92% of his short and medium range passes on a high volume and would add another element to Bournemouth’s build-up play.

With Hull unlikely to make the playoffs this season, Greaves will likely look to move on from the club he joined as an 8-year-old as he seeks to further his career and test himself at the next level, Bournemouth should be positioning themselves at the head of the queue for his services.