Bournemouth Secure Ben Doak from Liverpool in £25m Deal

Bournemouth have agreed a deal to sign Liverpool winger Ben Doak for an initial fee of £20 million, potentially rising to £25 million with add-ons. The 19-year-old Scotland international is expected to finalise his move to the Vitality Stadium within the next 24 hours, subject to completing the necessary paperwork and passing a medical examination.

Doak's absence from Liverpool's squad in their 4-2 Premier League victory over Bournemouth at Anfield on Friday evening fueled speculation about the impending transfer. The Cherries have now successfully concluded negotiations, securing the services of the highly-rated forward.

Doak Seeks First-Team Opportunities on the South Coast

The move to Bournemouth is seen as a significant opportunity for Doak to secure more consistent first-team football. Since arriving at Liverpool from Celtic in 2022, he has made only 10 senior appearances. Last season, he spent time on loan at Middlesbrough, where he impressed with three goals and seven assists in 24 Championship appearances.

According to football finance expert Kieran Maguire, lecturer at the University of Liverpool, "This move represents good business for all parties. Liverpool recoup a significant fee for a player who, while talented, faced fierce competition for a place in their starting eleven. Bournemouth, meanwhile, acquire a promising young player with Premier League experience who can add dynamism to their attack. Doak himself gets the chance to showcase his abilities on a regular basis."

Bournemouth Fend Off Premier League and European Interest

Bournemouth reportedly faced competition from other Premier League clubs, including Leeds United, as well as Portuguese giants Porto, for Doak's signature. Their successful pursuit underscores their commitment to strengthening their squad ahead of the new season.

Cherries Undergoing Significant Squad Overhaul

Bournemouth have been active in the transfer market this summer, both in terms of incomings and outgoings. They recently sold Dango Ouattara to Brentford for £42.5 million. Furthermore, they have seen defenders Illia Zabarnyi, Dean Huijsen, and Milos Kerkez depart for Paris St-Germain, Real Madrid, and Liverpool respectively, in deals totaling approximately £150 million.

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola recently acknowledged that his side are "not where they want to be" in terms of squad composition, hinting at further transfer activity before the window closes on September 1st.

New Arrivals at the Vitality Stadium

Prior to securing Doak, Bournemouth have already added goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, left-back Adrien Truffert, and centre-back Bafode Diakite to their ranks this summer. January signing Eli Junior Kroupi has also joined the squad after completing his loan spell at Lorient.

Areas for Further Reinforcement

Sources suggest that Bournemouth are still actively seeking a central defender and a striker. Their pursuit of a forward is partly driven by concerns over the fitness of alternative target Enes Unal, who is expected to be sidelined with a serious knee injury until late in the year.

Former Premier League striker Alan Shearer, speaking on BBC Match of the Day, commented on Bournemouth's transfer strategy, "Iraola clearly wants to build a team in his own image. He's been ruthless in letting players go and bringing in new faces. The key now is for these new signings to gel quickly and for Bournemouth to find some consistency in their performances."

Key Departure: Dango Ouattara to Brentford for £42.5m Defensive Exits: Illia Zabarnyi, Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez New Arrivals: Djordje Petrovic, Adrien Truffert, Bafode Diakite, Eli Junior Kroupi, Ben Doak (pending)

The acquisition of Ben Doak represents another significant step in Bournemouth's summer rebuild as they aim to improve on last season's performance under manager Andoni Iraola.