Where will Hamed Traore fit in under Andoni Iraola?

Just four days after arriving on loan from Sassuolo, the Ivory Coast international was plunged straight into the starting line-up for a Premier League match at Europe-chasing Brighton & Hove Albion.

He played in an advanced attacking midfield role, supporting fellow debutant Antoine Semenyo, who led the line.

Gary O’Neil’s Cherries went to the Amex on a wretched run of seven games without a win, losing six. Their injury-hit squad that day included youngsters Euan Pollock, Max Kinsey and Ben Greenwood among the substitutes.

The run ultimately extended, Kaoru Mitoma heading home a late winner to earn the Seagulls a 1-0 victory.

Traore made his debut at Brighton (Image: PA)

But Cherries fans came away feeling they may have snapped up the type of player they needed to give them something a bit extra in their battle against relegation.

Only match-winner Mitoma made more dribbles than Traore during that contest, the midfielder not afraid to take on defenders and drive his team up the pitch.

His first-half display certainly stood out, before understandably tiring after the restart, withdrawn on the hour mark.

Sadly, that was about as good as it got for Traore last season. He kept his place in the team for the following three matches, but has now made just one further Premier League start since February.

That has been largely down to injury.

Having already missed a big chunk of the start of the 2022-23 season with Sassuolo due to a foot problem, he was absent for a couple of fixtures in March. Traore’s season was then cut short, in early April, following an unfortunate incident, injured when kicking the bottom of a teammate’s foot in training.

Traore’s adaptation into the country was smoothed by the help of former Cherries defender Mathieu Baudry, who was recovering from an injury whilst winding down his career at Swindon Town. Traore arrived in England unable to speak the language, with French-speaking Baudry drafted in to help him and fellow new signing Dango Ouattara settle.

Baudry, now officially retired from playing football, has since moved on to a new career offering financial advice to young footballers.

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When Cherries’ survival in the Premier League was confirmed, it triggered a clause to make Traore’s move to the club permanent, for around £21million.

The fee puts the 23-year-old in the top five most expensive signings in Cherries’ history.

By the time Traore was fit again, he would have a new boss to impress.

O’Neil was sacked and Andoni Iraola appointed, a coach who places a heavy influence on an extremely hard-working attacking midfielder, to help lead the high press he demands.

Ryan Christie has thrived in that role so far, with Philip Billing also seen as more than capable of excelling in that area, when he is not required to occupy a deeper midfield position.

The form of those two, mainly, has left Traore somewhat squeezed out.

When he did get a chance from the start, Traore impressed with a lively display in a 3-2 EFL Cup win at Swansea City in August, scoring his first goal for the club in the process.

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But he failed to grab his opportunity when starting in the following round, subbed off at half-time along with Semenyo with Cherries struggling to find a way through against Championship Stoke City.

"It wasn’t a change of a matter of especially because of the performance from Semenyo or Junior," insisted Iraola. 

"I think it happened the same against Swansea. Probably there were other players on the pitch that I didn’t change that they probably deserved to be changed.

"But it was a matter of we needed this energy that Dom (Solanke) and Ryan could give us up front.

"That’s the reason I took the decision, not especially because I wasn’t happy with their performance."

Aside from those two games, Traore has come off the bench in three Premier League matches, totalling 44 minutes.

When he has come on, his desire to make something happen has been clear, going close to scoring in defeat at Liverpool and also providing a bit of a spark as a late sub at Brighton.

Traore’s opportunities were somewhat limited during pre-season also, playing 140 minutes across four friendlies. His best display came in the 2-0 win over Lorient, a week before the season started. But he would remain an unused substitute in the Premier League opener against West Ham United.

Asked what Traore can do to get more chances to play, Iraola told the Daily Echo: “I think they (Traore and Christie) have different characteristics.

“We have to look sometimes how they combine with Philip, with Ryan, sometimes we are playing Philip lower and Ryan higher.

“We are changing sometimes, especially when we are losing, Junior is finishing the games.

“He played a really good game against Swansea.

“But the two games he didn’t play against Chelsea and Brentford, I felt in that moment that it was a chance for other players.

“It’s always tough for the manager to make these decisions. But he is also pushing for his minutes.”

Will Traore’s minutes be limited purely to the advanced central midfield role, or could he be utilised elsewhere?

“For me, he is a number 10,” said Iraola.

“All the players can play in different positions, but I think his best position in our system is number 10.

“If we play, let’s say, 4-3-3 with one and two, he could be one of those number eights also.

“We have Ryan Christie, Philip Billing, when Alex Scott is ready, a lot of competition there with Junior, to play in this number 10 position.

“The games are different, we will take different approaches and he is ready to help.”

For Traore, he will undoubtedly be desperate for more minutes ahead of what could be one of the highlights of his career in a few months’ time.

Born in Abidjan, Traore has made five caps for his country Ivory Coast, who are set to host the Africa Cup of Nations early next year.

Should Traore be selected for the tournament, which takes place between January 13 and February 11, he could miss four Cherries games.

Cherries have made a significant investment on Traore, not only shelling out more than £20m for his services, but also handing him a five-year contract.

Discussing Traore arriving with a big price tag and asked if the former Empoli man will have to make his impact off the bench for the time being, Iraola said: “For me, the players are not – this player cost this, other players cost this.

“For me, they are the same players. I don’t care if he cost £1 or £20million.

“For me, they are all our players and I have the options.

“I have to see how they train, how the opposition plays, how we can be the best team, with the starting XI and with the subs.

“I think the subs are very important. It is a matter of making the right decisions.

“Everyone has to push to make himself available and try to convince us that they are the best chance to win the game.”