Bournemouth

We have looked into the age profile of Bournemouth's players for the 2025-26 season and recorded what percentage of minutes each of them played last campaign.

For the purpose of this exercise, we have deemed those under 24 as youth, between 24 and 30 as in their peak years and anyone over 30 to be a veteran.

The green represents new signings, who naturally did not play, red are those that have since left the club and yellow are all those that remain.

Bournemouth had a young, raw squad last season. There were nine players aged under 24, with four playing more than 50% of the campaign's minutes.

This summer three of those have been sold for big money - all of them defenders - and Andoni Iraola has brought in two more yongerh players.

Iraola appears to like a younger squad and balances it with those arguably in their peak to nurture and grow talent.

They are the ones that ultimately bring in the most money when cashing in.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Premier League striker Glenn Murray says Bournemouth face a "rebuilding" process this season given their defence "has been decimated" this summer.

The Cherries kick off the Premier League season with a trip to Anfield on Friday to face the reigning Premier League champions, Liverpool.

Andoni Iraola will be without his recognisable back-line but Murray remains optimistic that they will be OK this season because of who they have at the helm.

"Bournemouth were one of my favourite teams last season because of the way they played," Murray said on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast. "Their high press meant they would get up against anyone they faced, regardless of whether the opponents were bottom or top of the league.

"Iraola has been a real breath of fresh air but I do feel for him after the way their defence has been decimated. It's going to be a difficult season for them now.

"The good news is that they have good money to spend and their frontline and midfield is pretty much unchanged.

"There is a rebuilding process for the back four but they have made some good signings.

"They had an injury crisis last year and Iraola proved he can still do it and get results. Everyone thought they would fall apart but they didn't.

"He found a way so that shows you how good of a manager he is."

Listen on BBC Sounds

Melissa Edwards
BBC Sport journalist

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola has been speaking to the media before Friday's Premier League game against Liverpool at Anfield (kick-off 20:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• New signing Bafode Diakite is "physically ready" after training for two days with the squad but Iraola has yet to decide whether the centre-back will feature on Friday.

• Ryan Christie has been in training this week after "two or three set-backs" from a groin injury but Liverpool comes too soon, meanwhile Justin Kluivert is still recovering from a calf injury and is also out of contention alongside Lewis Cook.

• Dango Ouattara is likely to travel to Merseyside but his future at the club remains doubtful while Luis Sinisterra's expected move away to Brazil is "more advanced" but neither deal is closed.

• Bournemouth are "not where they want to be" regarding transfers but the Cherries boss confirmed that there will be some "important movements" before the market closes and hopes his team will be able to adjust to them.

• On facing Liverpool he said: "We are the first game and a lot of people will be watching us. It's not the place you want to start your season, at the home of the champions. Also after they lost the other day [in the Community Shield] despite controlling and they probably want a reaction."

• He added: "It's a big test for us and in the beginning it's going to be emotional with the passing of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva. But we will focus on our job, try and create some chances, keep believing and give them a hard game. Let's try to go there and give them a surprise."

Follow all of Thursday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Image source, Getty Images

Former Bournemouth defender Joe Partington is hesitant about the replacements the club has signed for Milos Kerkez, Dean Huijsen, and Illia Zabarnyi.

Kerkez, Huijsen and Zabarnyi were integral players for the Cherries last season which saw them finish as high as ninth in the Premier League. However, all three of them departed for big money moves this summer to Liverpool, Real Madrid and Paris St. Germain, respectively.

Partington believes the club's recruitment department will deliver with quality replacements but chasing European football this season might be a step too far for the Cherries.

"Do I think this back four will be the back four that emulates the success the ones last season had? I don't think so," Partington said on the Cherries: Unpicked podcast.

"I think they will need to sign two [central defenders] and those two will need to do as well as Zabarnyi and Huijsen did last season to sustain this level that Bournemouth are hoping to achieve.

"They weren't far off the European places last season, and if that is the level they want to get to, then I fear the back four we are looking at right now isn't capable of that, albeit they are still good players.

"It is good business, but make no mistake, you are losing three huge players and massive contributors to last season's success. But it is good money, and Bournemouth have had a habit of investing the money well, on players that are unknown and turn out really well.

"Hopefully they can recreate that. Historically, the recruitment team at Bournemouth have done really well especially in the recent past.

"Fingers crossed they can find another couple of gems."

Listen on BBC Sounds

BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty has offered up his annual predictions:

15) Bournemouth

Last season: Ninth

What to make of the Cherries now the defence that served them so well has been ransacked?

Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga - on loan from Chelsea last season - has gone to Arsenal, Milos Kerkez to Liverpool, Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid and Illia Zabarnyi to Paris St-Germain.

As with clubs like Brentford and Brighton, Bournemouth's structure is sound so they will prepare for such eventualities, but that is a tough rebuild, even for a manager as talented as Andoni Iraola.

He cannot afford any more key departures and at least there has been strengthening, with much resting on keeper Djordje Petrovic - signed from Chelsea - and highly rated France left-back Adrien Truffert from Rennes. Bafode Diakite will be expected to fill one of the central-defensive berths after his £34.6m capture from Lille.

Do not expect Bournemouth to live in fear of the drop but it would be another sign of Iraola's quality if he can once more direct them into the Premier League's top half.

Read the full piece

Mark Mitchener
BBC Sport Senior Journalist

Image source, Getty Images

With a retooled defence and new keeper, Bournemouth will have largely the same squad as last season further forward, with Antoine Semenyo's new contract warding off the transfer vultures for now, although the unsettled Dango Ouattara's future remains unclear.

He appears to be in a complicated chain of dominoes which could involve Alexander Isak leaving Newcastle, who would sign Yoane Wissa from Brentford, who would sign Ouattara from the Cherries, if another winger can be brought to Dorset.

Eli Junior Kroupi is an exciting addition in attack, signed in January but loaned back to Lorient for the remainder of last season. However, Iraola looks set to start the season on Friday without injured trio Lewis Cook, Justin Kluivert and Ryan Christie, though it is hoped the latter two may return soon.

While the doom-mongers may latch onto the three defensive sales and predict imminent catastrophe (expect that noise to be amplified if Bournemouth get a hiding at Liverpool on Friday), it is important to remember the context.

Back in the summer of 2005, fans were up in arms when Burnley signed three-quarters of the Cherries' regular midfield quartet, two on Bosman-style free transfers and the third for £35,000.

Selling three defenders to the champions of Europe, the champions of England and the 15-time former champions of Europe, is another indicator of how far Bournemouth have come.

As Newcastle are finding with Isak, if a high-profile player wishes to leave for a bigger opportunity, it is difficult to stand in their way, even with a sovereign wealth fund handing Newcastle far greater riches than Bournemouth.

The financial model of buying young talent to sell for big profits a year or two down the line appears to be the only route open to the likes of Bournemouth, Brighton and Brentford.

A year ago, the prophets of doom latched onto the sale of Dominic Solanke, only for the Cherries to score more goals, earn more points and finish higher than ever before.

So as the mantra goes, 'trust the process'.

Image source, Getty Images

The draw for the second round of the Carabao Cup has been made.

The EFL Cup remains regionalised in the early rounds, with the draw split into Northern and Southern sections until round three.

Here are the ties involving Premier League clubs:

Northern section

Sheffield Wednesday v Leeds United

Burnley v Derby County

Everton v Mansfield Town

Grimsby Town v Manchester United

Sunderland v Huddersfield Town

Southern section

Bournemouth v Brentford

Fulham v Bristol City

Oxford United v Brighton

Wolves v West Ham United

The 23 second-round ties will take place during the week beginning 25 August.

See the full draw over here

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Amine Adli has given his preference to join Bournemouth amid rival interest.

Talks between the two clubs over a move reportedly worth £26m are ongoing, but the 25-year-old has told all parties about his desire to move to the south coast this summer.

The move may be linked to Dango Outtara's potential exit as he draws interest from Brentford.

Mark Mitchener
BBC Sport Senior Journalist

Image source, Getty Images

The signing of Lille centre-back Bafode Diakite on Wednesday will boost morale after fans spent the summer watching their defence dismembered by Europe's elite.

The sales of Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid, Milos Kerkez to Liverpool and Illia Zabarnyi to Paris St-Germain brought in a staggering £147m, but left boss Andoni Iraola needing to rebuild a backline that last season conceded the fewest Premier League goals of their eight seasons in the top flight.

But the signs are encouraging.

The lengthy Kerkez saga meant his left-back replacement Adrien Truffert was signed before Kerkez had even put pen to paper at Anfield, and the former Rennes captain has slotted in seamlessly in pre-season.

While Diakite, signed barely 48 hours before the start of the new season, may take time to adjust to his new surroundings, in central defence Bournemouth already have Marcos Senesi (a Premier League regular for two seasons before his injury propelled Huijsen into the limelight), and James Hill.

A £1m capture from Fleetwood in 2022, Hill has had to wait patiently for first-team opportunities, but never let Iraola down when called upon last season. His versatility allowed him to fill in at full-back when required, and he also came on in a defensive midfield role a couple of times when the Cherries were frantically chasing games.

Bournemouth may seek another central defender before the transfer window closes and that could spell the end of Chris Mepham's first-team chances as he enters the last year of his contract.

The Wales international spent last season on loan at Sunderland although a rumoured permanent move to Wearside has not materialised. He featured in pre-season and would provide experienced back-up if no further defenders are signed.

More from Mark on Thursday.

Have you got a question about Bournemouth or is there a topic you want more information on? Have you spotted a Cherries theme or trend that needs further investigation?

Well, this season we're making it easier for you to get in touch and ask - and we will do our best to use our expertise here at BBC Sport to give you direct answers.

Our team can call upon a network of contacts - including our reporters, pundits and other experts - to find out everything you need to know.

No question is too big or too small, so fire away using the link below and we will answer the best of them throughout the campaign.

Ask about Bournemouth here

And find out more about BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything service here

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Bournemouth are in talks to sign Fulham winger Macauley Zepa but expect competition from Nottingham Forest.

The French youngster is looking to leave Craven Cottage amid concerns about his pathway into Marco Silva's first team having refused to sign a professional contract on his 17th birthday in July.

Fulham would be due compensation but Bournemouth are looking to extend the ambition of their academy following renewed training ground investment under Bill Foley's ownership.

Zepa scored 11 goals and supplied 10 assists in 30 league matches for Fulham's Under-18s last season and is understood to be negotiating terms over a move into Bournemouth's academy team.

However, there is caution given known interest from Forest and the potential for a rival offer.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Cherries defender Joe Partington will be BBC Radio Solent's new Bournemouth summariser for the 2025-26 season.

Partington came through the ranks at Bournemouth in the late 2000s and spent nine seasons at the club.

He replaces John "Willo" Williams, who left the station at the end of last season after 23 years as football pundit.

"My role will be to support Jordan Clark with the co-commentary," Partington explained.

"He does an amazing job of painting a picture of what's happening so people can understand on the radio what's going on.

"My role will be to support the picture he's painting by giving insight and expertise of different moments within the game."

Image source, Getty Images

The latest episode of BBC Radio Solent's Cherries: Unpicked has landed on BBC Sounds.

The team preview Bournemouth's Premier League opener against Liverpool on Friday after a summer of big change in the backline at Vitality Stadium.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

New Bournemouth defender Bafode Diakite says he "will give everything for the team" after completing his £34.6m move from Lille.

The 24-year-old will cost the Cherries an initial fee of £30.3m, plus up to £4.3m in add-ons, which makes him Bournemouth's second most expensive signing.

He made 31 Ligue 1 appearances last season as Lille finished fifth in the French top flight, and also played 10 times in the Champions League.

Scoring 13 times across his 112 games for the club since joining in 2022, Lille say he is the highest-scoring defender in France during his three years.

"I'm really happy to be here and I'm very excited to start with the team," Diakite told club media.

"I know the coach has great ideas which enables us to play well in the Premier League. Now I'm at the club, it's a good opportunity to show how I can help the team going forward.

"I'm a defender who likes to have the ball and play with it, and I hope to show my qualities both with and without it. I will give everything for the team and I hope we will have some great moments together."

Having lost three key defenders this window - Illia Zabarnyi becoming the latest sale on Tuesday - the centre-back is set to play a key role in Andoni Iraola's side this season when it gets under way against Liverpool on Friday.

"We're thrilled to welcome Bafode to the club," president of football operations Tiago Pinto added.

"He is someone who has already played a lot of games despite still being early on in his career, and his ambition is something that matches that of the club very well.

"We're really pleased to add him to our squad alongside our other new additions in Adrian Truffert and Djordje Petrovic, as well as Junior Kroupi who has been with the team this summer."

Bournemouth have agreed a deal with Bayer Leverkusen for 25-year-old Morocco forward Amine Adli. (Footmercato - in French), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Tom Jordan
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

It has been a pretty busy summer of activity for the Cherries, with plenty of notable outgoings, but there is still much reason to remain hopeful.

A contract extension for in-demand winger Antoine Semenyo and a couple of new additions with Djordje Petrovic and Adrien Truffert have been music to the ears for many of us. Indeed, due to some of the outstanding finds previously from our recruitment team, any new incoming is met with real excitement - so hopes are high with these two.

Similarly, we still have head coach Andoni Iraola, a man whose brand of football and tactical insight has enhanced the quality of each player substantially since his arrival. Therefore, with him at the helm, the Bournemouth faithful will always remain optimistic.

However, there is always a flip side. The club have lost four of their back five from last season's record-breaking campaign.

Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga was only on a loan, Dean Huijsen's exceptional season meant his £50m release clause was always going to be triggered, and Milos Kerkez to Liverpool always felt on the cards.

However it is the departure of Ilia Zabarnyi that felt a bit out of the blue - but when the Champions League winners PSG come knocking, it is hard for the club to present a case to Zabarnyi to stay.

Replacing each of these has remained at the forefront and despite having no doubt that the club will do so adequately, it may well take time to adapt, so there is an obvious fear that the mass change may make the season more of a struggle.

The defensive unit were so key to the club achieving their greatest ever finish, so it is essential we can rely on this department being as solid as possible.

Interesting times ahead!

Find more from Tom Jordan at Back of the Net, external

Hear more from Tom on this page all season and remember you can sign up for Bournemouth news notifications here

Illia Zabarnyi has become the third major sale from Bournemouth's defence this summer after Dean Huijsen joined Real Madrid and Liverpool signed Milos Kerkez.

So are the Cherries in trouble defensively?

BBC Sport pundit Chris Sutton says the situation is a "nightmare."

Journalist Rory Smith told BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club: "That [back line] is difficult to replace. I'm not worried in the sense that they will get relegated, but it will be a great challenge for Andoni Iraola.

"They will still be great going forward but rebuilding that defence will be difficult.

"We are just days away from the first game of the season so the timing isn't great and I am sure they would have preferred Zabarnyi to leave earlier if he was going to go."

Watch the full episode on BBC iPlayer or listen on BBC Sounds

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola has no issues with having to change his plans because he has lost so many players.

Defender Illia Zabarnyi is close to completing a £57m move to Paris St-Germain. It would follow on from Dean Huijsen and Milos Kerkez as a big money exit from the squad that finished a club record equalling ninth in the Premier League last term.

Rather than be irritated by the losses, Iraola treats the demand to find solutions as a challenge, as he outlined when he spoke to BBC Sport in Atlanta just over a week ago.

"I do not want to lose players but when the window is open, you never know what's going to happen," he said.

"Obviously, if the more important players stay with us, it's going to be easier - but if something else happens, we will also adapt.

"We will be like the club. They will be ready for whatever the situation is - and we will do our job.

"Whatever the scenario is, when the market finishes, the club will give us the players to compete."

Iraola is aware of the additional scrutiny on him this season after Bournemouth came so close to securing European qualification for the first time.

However, he is adamant he will not allow past success to be the measure by which he is judged this term.

"It has to be a reset," Iraola added. "We start from zero. Everyone starts from zero.

"Once you play one or two games, nobody will remember what we did last season."

• Follow your Premier League team on BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Bournemouth's new £25m goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic has praised the club's swiftness in completing his transfer from Chelsea.

Speaking to BBC Radio Solent, he said: "I am very happy, very excited. I have met a lot of nice guys and team-mates.

"We have a nice atmosphere and I am really happy to be a part of this club. My agent spoke to the club in February and they really wanted me in the middle of June.

"It was a perfect step for me. There was a lot of options, but Bournemouth was the faster one, and they really wanted me.

"You can see how much the people in the club want to achieve something higher, and that is something I want to do as well, so that is one of the reasons why I chose Bournemouth."

Listen to the full clip on BBC Sounds