AFC Bournemouth transfer window plans after Justin Kluivert signs

The pacy winger has penned a long-term contract at Vitality Stadium, with Cherries shelling out a reported £9.5million to bring him to the club.

He is set to be the first of several new faces in at the club this window, chairman Bill Foley stating last week the board have "identified a number of significant targets in the transfer market this summer".

It is set to be a busy few weeks off the field, with players also needing to be moved on.

New boss Andoni Iraola will undoubtedly have suggestions of his own of who he would like to join him at Cherries, as he prepares to meet his squad for the first time when players return for pre-season testing on Saturday.

But there are some areas of the squad where numbers are light.

Full-back

The major area in need of a boost is at full-back.

Three players who filled those positions at times last season in Jack Stacey, Jordan Zemura and Matias Vina have all left the club.

Cherries have two experienced options in Adam Smith and Ryan Fredericks on the books, entering the final year of their respective contracts, and most comfortable playing on the right.

Their only current senior option at left-back is Lloyd Kelly, who Iraola may feel better suited to a return to the centre. Youngster Ben Greenwood is likely to get a chance in pre-season as the next in line in that position.

Cherries are looking to negotiate a permanent deal for Vina to return to the club. The Uruguay international is keen for the move, with the club trying to agree a fee with Roma.

As he was in January, German left-back Robin Gosens was again linked with a move to the south coast, but he appears set for a move instead to Union Berlin.

Discussing the club’s summer transfer plans, before he was sacked as boss, Gary O’Neil told the Daily Echo: “We'll be looking at all the areas.

“If we feel we're short numbers wise, of course we'll look at it.

“We have been a bit short at full-back, been very reliant on Adam Smith staying fit and not collecting bookings and things at times.

“Lloyd Kelly's played there for us. Mati's done well, very successful loan spell with us.

“But of course that'll be an area in the summer, as most of them will be, to be honest, that we'll look at and try to improve.”

Central midfield

With Jefferson Lerma opting to leave the club and join Crystal Palace, a search for his replacement is well underway.

Teenager Alex Scott is a name who has been regularly linked with Cherries in recent times.

The Bristol City youngster looks to be attracting widespread interest this summer, both in England and abroad, with Cherries having a battle on their hands to convince him to Vitality Stadium, should they stump up the cash the Robins request, which is reportedly around £25million.

Other players in that position Cherries have been linked with is Dutchman Tijjani Reijnders, who plays for AZ Alkmaar and former Chelsea loanee Denis Zakaria.

Centre-back

Cherries technical director Richard Hughes spoke in May of the club’s desire to secure the permanent signing of Jack Stephens.

The centre-back played a key role in the club staying in the Premier League, during his loan spell from Southampton, which has now ended.

Cherries do have good options at centre-back in Illia Zabarnyi, Marcos Senesi and Chris Mepham, as well as potentially Kelly and the returning James Hill, after his loan at Hearts.

But they have in recent days been linked with a move for Peterborough United’s Ronnie Edwards.

Winger or striker?

Despite already being well stocked for wide players, Cherries continue to be linked with players in that position.

Kluivert has joined the likes of Marcus Tavernier, Ryan Christie, David Brooks, Dango Ouattara, Jaidon Anthony and others who can occupy those roles.

The rumour mill threw up Alvaro Garcia’s name as a player who could make a potential reunion with Iraola from Rayo Vallecano, while Levante’s Jorge de Frutos has also been linked by reports in Spain.

Former Cherries star Arnaut Danjuma too is another name doing the rounds, as he assesses his options after his loan at Tottenham ended, as well as Real Valladolid’s Gonzalo Plata. He has reported asked to leave his club in Spain to make the move to Cherries.

With Kluivert’s arrival, it is hard to see room for more wingers in the squad, unless one or two depart.

Up front, Dominic Solanke and Kieffer Moore are the two immediate options to Iraola from last season, with a timeframe over Antoine Semenyo’s injury still unclear.

Departures

Will Dennis last week left the club on loan to join Kilmarnock, and many others are going to have to follow him out the door.

Cherries’ squad is bloated, with currently 26 senior players on the books who would have to be registered to play in the Premier League, with only 25 allowed. That does not include the likes of Ouattara and Zabarnyi, who qualify as under-21 players, while potential further additions will expand the squad further.

Obvious names who the club may look to move on would be those who spent the second half of last season out on loan.

Gavin Kilkenny, Ben Pearson and Jamal Lowe were all out in the EFL, while Siriki Dembele was sent to Auxerre in France.

Emiliano Marcondes headed back to Denmark, but has said in a recent interview that Cherries want to keep him this season.

Cherries currently have four senior goalkeepers on the books, so it seems likely at least one of those could depart on loan to free up a spot.

Cherries’ current squad: Travers, Randolph, Neto, Plain, Fredericks, Kelly, Mepham, Smith, Senesi, Zabarnyi*, Hill*, Cook, Brooks, Christie, Rothwell, Marcondes, Traore, Tavernier, Billing, Kilkenny, Pearson, Kluivert, Ouattara*, Anthony, Dembele, Lowe, Semenyo, Solanke, Moore.

(*denotes under-21 player)