CHERRIES are unlikely to make a move to sign further FC Lorient players this month after they have finalised a deal for Dango Ouattara, the Daily Echo understands.
Cherries’ new chairman Bill Foley, whose consortium Black Knight Football Club purchased 100 per cent of the club from Maxim Demin last month, has recently bought a 33 per cent stake in Ligue 1 outfit Lorient.
Speaking last month, Foley laid out his plans for a multi-club model, aiming to potentially purchase two more clubs alongside Cherries and Lorient, to move players around from one to the other.
- Bill Foley outlines Black Knight Football Club structure
- Foley confirms plans to acquire more football clubs
- Cherries have bid accepted for Ouattara
Since Foley arrived at Lorient, who are enjoying a fine campaign and sit seventh in the French top tier, Cherries have been linked with a host of their star players.
One looks set to arrive on the south coast this week, with a fee of around £20million understood to have been agreed between the two clubs to sign forward Ouattara.
Cherries are hopeful everything can be rubber-stamped in time for the Burkina Faso international to be available to face Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday.
Aside from Ouattara, two more of Lorient’s star names in Terem Moffi and Enzo Le Fee have also been linked with moves away this month, with Cherries credited with an interest.
The Daily Echo understands that whilst Cherries do retain an interest in Nigeria international striker Moffi, who has scored 12 goals in 18 appearances this season, and are monitoring his situation, a move at this stage appears unlikely.
Fellow Premier League clubs Southampton, Leeds United and West Ham United have also been linked with a January move for Moffi, but Ligue 1 side Nice, who currently sit 10th in the table, are believed to be leading the race for his signature.
Nice are owned by British company Ineos, and have a host of players with Premier League experience among their ranks with the likes of Aaron Ramsey, Kasper Schmeichel, Ross Barkley, Nicolas Pepe, Morgan Schneiderlin and Joe Bryan.
A third Lorient player in recent days has been linked to Cherries, in midfielder Enzo Le Fee.
The highly-rated 22-year-old Frenchman has played more than 100 times for Brittany-based Les Merlus, contributing three goals and four assists in 19 appearances so far this season.
However, the Echo understands Le Fee is not eyeing up a move to Cherries this month and currently looks set to stay at Lorient until the end of the season, with hopes to attract interest from clubs who qualify to compete in Europe.
Cherries are looking for further signings along with Ouattara before the January 31 deadline, and are a handful of Premier League clubs interested in Villarreal winger Arnaut Danjuma.
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