Exclusive: Bournemouth abandon push for Europe amid Huijsen, Kerkez, Zabarnyi exits
Bournemouth are paying the price this summer for trying to qualify for European football last season.
That is the view of football finance expert Dan Plumley, who told Football Insider exclusively that teams like the Cherries and Brighton are “resigned” to losing their best players.
At one point in the 2024/25 season, Bournemouth were sitting in fifth place in the Premier League table, and they looked destined to qualify for European football.
But a late-season collapse that saw Andoni Iraola‘s side win just three of their last 13 games saw them finish ninth.
Without European football, the Cherries found themselves at the mercy of the continent’s elite.
Dean Huijsen was quickly snapped up by Real Madrid, Milos Kerkez followed his Spanish teammate out of the door by joining Liverpool, and Ilya Zabarnyi has been the subject of a £60million bid from Tottenham, sources told Football Insider.
Fortunately, Antoine Semenyo has committed his future to Bournemouth, but that may just be a temporary measure, as another good season will mean the Ghana international is sure to have plenty of suitors once again next summer.
Bournemouth at the mercy of bigger clubs
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Plumley, a senior lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University, explained why Bournemouth were selling off all their star talent in one summer.
The finance expert said that the Cherries were essentially powerless to the draw and allure of Europe’s giants and that the club’s focus would be on where to find new talent, rather than desperately trying to keep hold of players who want to leave.
Plumley said: “I think it’s just an example of how tough it is for those clubs that are trying to break into that European elite because the reality of this is, if you do perform above expectations and you get close, but you don’t quite make it, then bigger clubs are going to look at your best players and they’re going to offer them European Football.
“It’s just the reality for clubs like Bournemouth, like Brighton, like some of those others that are in that mid-table mix in the Premier League, you’re almost resigned to losing your best players from time to time.
“And of course, if Real Madrid and Liverpool come knocking, on the player side of that as well, you’re going to have to sell them. Whether you want to or not, that’s just where a club like that is.
“It’s obviously unfortunate for them to lose a couple of their star players, but it is just symptomatic of that mid-pack in the Premier League.
“It’s so tough to catch the elite, and if you even get close and just miss, you might have to lose a couple of players, and you’re thinking, right, where are we finding the next bit of talent from?
“I don’t think it’s a strategy for them necessarily that they would want to be pushing [selling star players over chasing European football].
“It’s just the reality of the Premier League and the bigger clubs just having the advantage.”
Bournemouth suffer Lewis Cook setback
Not only are the Cherries having to endure a transfer window that has seen two of their best players leave, and a third looking set to follow them, but injuries are also becoming an issue.
Lewis Cook will miss the beginning of the 2025/26 campaign after suffering an MCL injury and undergoing surgery.
The former Leeds United midfielder appeared 36 times for Bournemouth last season and his absence will be a major blow for Iraola.