AFC Bournemouth – Sport Witness http://sportwitness.co.uk Mon, 04 Dec 2023 09:16:52 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.1.15 Bournemouth ‘don’t want to sell’ player in January – Club forced to change transfer strategy http://sportwitness.co.uk/bournemouth-dont-want-sell-player-january-club-forced-change-transfer-strategy/ http://sportwitness.co.uk/bournemouth-dont-want-sell-player-january-club-forced-change-transfer-strategy/#respond Sat, 02 Dec 2023 11:48:01 +0000 http://sportwitness.co.uk/?p=450577 For the past few weeks, claims from Italy stated AC Milan have set their sights on signing AFC Bournemouth’s Lloyd Kelly in the winter market. It was also explained that the Serie A side’s technical director, Geoffrey Moncada, made a trip to England to watch the defender live in action against Burnley. He has over

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For the past few weeks, claims from Italy stated AC Milan have set their sights on signing AFC Bournemouth’s Lloyd Kelly in the winter market.

It was also explained that the Serie A side’s technical director, Geoffrey Moncada, made a trip to England to watch the defender live in action against Burnley.

He has over six months left on his deal and January will be Bournemouth’s last chance to cash in from the 25-year-old’s sale.

Gianluca Di Marzio state the Cherries ‘don’t want to sell’ the centre-back in the next window and are ready to risk losing him for free next summer.

The firm stance maintained by Andoni Iraola’s side will force the Rossoneri to change their plans. The Englishman continues to be on their radar and will be the priority target after this season, when Milan can sign him on a free transfer.

This claim is also backed up by Sky Italia, who state the Bournemouth player will be on top of the Italian club’s list for next summer. The Premier League side’s refusal to sanction Kelly’s transfer has seen Milan focus on other targets for January.

Kelly has made 10 appearances this season and if he were to be available for free, Milan may face competition from other clubs to secure his services.

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“Nobody knows” – Iraola on potential La Liga job, Bournemouth manager also talks about Cherries move http://sportwitness.co.uk/nobody-knows-iraola-potential-la-liga-job-bournemouth-manager-also-talks-cherries-move/ http://sportwitness.co.uk/nobody-knows-iraola-potential-la-liga-job-bournemouth-manager-also-talks-cherries-move/#respond Fri, 01 Dec 2023 11:16:18 +0000 http://sportwitness.co.uk/?p=450425 Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola has insisted “nobody knows” what will happen in the future, when asked if he’ll end up manager at Athletic Club Bilbao. The Bournemouth boss has been speaking to Onda Cero in Spain and the subject of a potential move to Athletic was again brought up. He’s regularly been linked with the

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Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola has insisted “nobody knows” what will happen in the future, when asked if he’ll end up manager at Athletic Club Bilbao.

The Bournemouth boss has been speaking to Onda Cero in Spain and the subject of a potential move to Athletic was again brought up.

He’s regularly been linked with the Athletic job since becoming a manager after spending most of his professional career with them.

Iraola joined the club in 2003 from their reserve team and became a regular starter and fan favourite from there, making 510 appearances for the club and captaining them for several seasons before finishing his career in America with New York City.

He’s since embarked on his coaching career after retiring in 2017, impressing with the likes of Rayo Vallecano and now with Bournemouth in the Premier League.

As a Basque coach with such an attachment to the club he remains on their radar, though, and admits he can’t rule out a return in future.

“If it happens, then it will happen, but nobody knows what will happen in the future and for now at least I’m going to try to make my way as best as possible,” he said when asked on the matter.

For now his focus is on Bournemouth, who he joined in the summer after they parted ways with Gary O’Neil.

A move to the South Coast of England was certainly a big change for the Spaniard but he insists neither he nor his team are complaining.

“At least we could put it on the map, right?” he added.

“Obviously you didn’t control the whole squad, you didn’t know many things, but we had a bit of a reference that it was a place in England, where people go on holiday, the climate is not as harsh as in other places.

“And the truth is that the experience here is positive in that sense on a family level, on a personal level, the weather, now it’s starting to get cold, but so far it’s been quite respectful and we’re not complaining.”

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Andoni Iraola reveals if he’s ever feared for Bournemouth job – And how Cherries lured him in first place http://sportwitness.co.uk/andoni-iraola-reveals-hes-ever-feared-bournemouth-job-cherries-lured-first-place/ http://sportwitness.co.uk/andoni-iraola-reveals-hes-ever-feared-bournemouth-job-cherries-lured-first-place/#respond Thu, 23 Nov 2023 16:23:37 +0000 http://sportwitness.co.uk/?p=449282 Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola has admitted he was “nervous” but not fearful over his job after their poor start to the season. The Spanish boss has been speaking to EFE, relayed by AS, about his time in England so far after arriving to take charge of Bournemouth in the summer. He joined the Cherries as

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Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola has admitted he was “nervous” but not fearful over his job after their poor start to the season.

The Spanish boss has been speaking to EFE, relayed by AS, about his time in England so far after arriving to take charge of Bournemouth in the summer.

He joined the Cherries as a replacement for Gary O’Neill, with Bournemouth’s ownership electing to go in a different direction despite the latter impressing at the end of last season.

The appointment of Iraola was something of a surprising one, with him arriving after an impressive few years in Spain where he had established Rayo Vallecano as a La Liga stable playing an attractive brand of attacking football.

The hope was that he could Bournemouth playing the same way but, despite positives, they were unable to translate their positive performances into points on the pitch.

That led to natural speculation about Iraola’s position and suggestions he was on the brink of being sacked, but it appears he was never truly concerned.

“It’s not that you get nervous, they are normal consequences. If you don’t win games, the normal thing is that they end up kicking you out,” he said.

“We have had difficult moments. Probably the worst was the game against Burnley that we played at home. We started losing and you say, “Ugh, we have to turn this around,” but luckily, hey, it’s a game that we ended up turning around, you ended up winning it, and then we beat Newcastle.

“I think that the feelings of the last games have been much better, even the day against Liverpool in the cup when you lose, but you say, “Hey, we had them and they got away from us.”

“We want to continue giving it continuity. Knowing that we are in the Premier League and if we drop the level a bit it will be difficult for us to win again, of course.”

As stated, the decision to appoint Iraola and, indeed, the ability of Bournemouth to lure him to England was certainly one that shocked many in the summer.

He had been doing good work in Spain with Rayo, who he led from the second division and then established in the top flight over two seasons after that.

That suggested he was a good fit for a job further up the ladder at a club in Spain but instead it was Bournemouth who made the move and sold their project to him.

“For me, this is not so different from what I had at Rayo,” he added.

“It is a team that was promoted last year, that achieves permanence the first year, moments of being in decline, moments that come out… I think it is a successful year for them and then they want to change the way the team plays.

“It is one of the smallest stadiums in the league, it is a club that has the ambition of establishing itself as a Premier team. I liked what they told me and for me the opportunity to participate in the Premier has always been very attractive.”

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Player insists he holds “no bitterness” towards Bournemouth man – Even though suspension cost him http://sportwitness.co.uk/player-insists-holds-no-bitterness-towards-bournemouth-man-even-though-suspension-cost/ http://sportwitness.co.uk/player-insists-holds-no-bitterness-towards-bournemouth-man-even-though-suspension-cost/#respond Wed, 22 Nov 2023 17:19:17 +0000 http://sportwitness.co.uk/?p=449083 Hungary winger Kevin Csoboth has insisted he holds no ill will towards Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez, despite his recent red card costing him precious minutes in the national team. The 23-year-old has been speaking to Újpest’s official website, relayed by Sportal, regarding his recent appearances in the national team. He’s now up to seven appearances

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Hungary winger Kevin Csoboth has insisted he holds no ill will towards Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez, despite his recent red card costing him precious minutes in the national team.

The 23-year-old has been speaking to Újpest’s official website, relayed by Sportal, regarding his recent appearances in the national team.

He’s now up to seven appearances for his country after making his debut in March this year and has since added a handful of minutes to his name against Estonia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Serbia, Czech Republic, Lithuania and Bulgaria.

His last appearance was a 50-minute appearance against Bulgaria in European qualifying, his first start for his country.

That game saw his minutes cut short, though, with two yellow cards for Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez seeing Hungary reduced to ten men and necessitating change.

That saw Csoboth hooked in the 59th minute in place of Zsolt Nagy, bringing a disappointing end to a big evening for him and his family.

It seems he holds now grudges about it, though, insisting there are no problems between him and the Bournemouth star.

“Of course, he (his father) is very proud, and it means a lot of happiness to him,” he said.

“I always got from him that he was the European youth champion, now I can at least answer him that I made it to the European Championship with the A team. Of course, it would be an even better answer if we won the European Championship with the national team.

“It happened that I got 15 minutes, it happened that I only stopped for a short time at the end, but I was always trying to somehow help the team.

“I was able to play 60 minutes for the first time in Bulgaria, and it didn’t go badly, the cooperation with my teammates was also smooth.

“Maybe the suspension of Milos Kerkez caused my substitution, but I had no bitterness, since the team is first, and it is logical that someone from the attacking line should be removed.”

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‘He won’t leave in January’ – Bournemouth put foot down over transfer, blocking exit http://sportwitness.co.uk/wont-leave-january-bournemouth-put-foot-transfer-blocking-exit/ http://sportwitness.co.uk/wont-leave-january-bournemouth-put-foot-transfer-blocking-exit/#respond Wed, 22 Nov 2023 10:16:24 +0000 http://sportwitness.co.uk/?p=448914 Earlier this month, Tuttosport stated AC Milan technical director Geoffrey Moncada was in attendance to watch AFC Bournemouth’s Lloyd Kelly live in action against Burnley. The defender’s deal runs down in 2024 and the Rossoneri hope to convince the Cherries to let go of him in January. They are joined by Juventus and a few other English

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Earlier this month, Tuttosport stated AC Milan technical director Geoffrey Moncada was in attendance to watch AFC Bournemouth’s Lloyd Kelly live in action against Burnley.

The defender’s deal runs down in 2024 and the Rossoneri hope to convince the Cherries to let go of him in January. They are joined by Juventus and a few other English clubs in the transfer chase.

That’s according to TuttoMercatoWeb, who state the Serie A duo have already ‘tested the waters’ to sign the Bournemouth player.

Bournemouth are 16th in the table, four points above the relegation zone. Both Andoni Iraola and the Premier League side consider the centre-back a key player, to help them in their efforts to avoid relegation.

The 25-year-old’s sale in the winter market would see the English club earn a fee, but that would be far less than the money they’d collect if they stay in the top flight.

Therefore, Bournemouth have sent a clear message to clubs interested in Kelly that ‘he won’t leave in January’, even if they were to receive a ‘significant’ offer.

Milan and Juve would continue following the player, with a view to signing him for free next summer. Kelly, who has a desire to make a big jump, is also on the agenda of a few unnamed English clubs.

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Bournemouth prefer to lose player for free than sell in January – Club’s interest not changing stance http://sportwitness.co.uk/bournemouth-prefer-lose-player-free-sell-january-clubs-interest-not-changing-stance/ http://sportwitness.co.uk/bournemouth-prefer-lose-player-free-sell-january-clubs-interest-not-changing-stance/#respond Sat, 18 Nov 2023 14:16:12 +0000 http://sportwitness.co.uk/?p=448355 Bournemouth would prefer to lose defender Lloyd Kelly on a free transfer in the summer rather than sell him to AC Milan in the January transfer window. That’s according to Corriere dello Sport, who say the captain is ‘of great interest’ to the Italian side but a difficult deal for them to get done. The

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Bournemouth would prefer to lose defender Lloyd Kelly on a free transfer in the summer rather than sell him to AC Milan in the January transfer window.

That’s according to Corriere dello Sport, who say the captain is ‘of great interest’ to the Italian side but a difficult deal for them to get done.

The newspaper explains that Milan’s two main objectives for the winter transfer window are clear, both a defender and a forward will arrive to bolster their squad.

They are the two positions that both need strengthening and will receive greater attention from the management in the coming weeks.

A central defender is desperately needed as the squad has been left thin by injuries and ongoing fitness issues for Simon Kjaer.

Several potential options are being explored and Bournemouth’s Lloyd Kelly is one of those who is ‘of great interest’.

The problem is that Bournemouth aren’t particularly interested in a deal and don’t want to lose their captain in January. In fact, they would prefer to lose him on a free transfer next summer, when his contract expires than sell him for a fee in the winter window.

Why that is the case isn’t mentioned and seems a little strange from the Cherries on the face of it, but perhaps they value Kelly’s involvement in the squad higher than the likely reduced figure they’d get from Milan.

That could always change but for now it seems there’s no interest in selling Kelly, even if Milan do come calling for him.

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Andoni Iraola tells Spanish media about problems with Bournemouth defence – And what he’s doing about it http://sportwitness.co.uk/andoni-iraola-tells-spanish-media-problems-bournemouth-defence-hes/ http://sportwitness.co.uk/andoni-iraola-tells-spanish-media-problems-bournemouth-defence-hes/#respond Wed, 15 Nov 2023 14:16:53 +0000 http://sportwitness.co.uk/?p=447699 Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola has insisted he won’t be changing his style or plans for the club, despite his side’s struggles defensively so far. The Spanish boss has been speaking to Marca about various topics, including his difficult start to life at Bournemouth so far. He arrived to replace Gary O’Neil in the summer, with

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Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola has insisted he won’t be changing his style or plans for the club, despite his side’s struggles defensively so far.

The Spanish boss has been speaking to Marca about various topics, including his difficult start to life at Bournemouth so far.

He arrived to replace Gary O’Neil in the summer, with Bournemouth looking for him to repeat the job he had done at Rayo Vallecano, where he turned them into a competitive side in La Liga with an attractive brand of football.

The attacking intent has certainly been on show so far, with the Cherries not struggling in that area and indeed playing good football in general.

It has been the other end of the pitch which has proven to be their downfall, with 27 goals conceded so far only four short of Sheffield United, who have the worst record in the league with 31 conceded.

That’s left them 17th in the table and just three points outside the relegation zone, with two wins from 12 games so far.

The defensive issues are something that Iraola is more than aware of, and he’s detailed what he’s doing to help his team improve in that area.

“We knew it was going to be complicated,” he said.

“We had a starting schedule against rivals from above and then it also took us a bit for the team to take the ideas we bring. I hope the victories boost us.

“On an offensive level, we feel that we can do damage… but the other side is having a hard time. We continue to receive many goals, but we are not going to change our idea. Quite the opposite.

“The results have come to us by pressing higher, taking even more risks, sometimes even marking the man! We saw that we were staying in a no-man’s zone, and we suffered. We have reinforced the message.”

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Bournemouth ‘unlikely to invest’ in player in their current squad – 26-year-old old barely playing http://sportwitness.co.uk/bournemouth-unlikely-invest-player-current-squad-26-year-old-old-barely-playing/ http://sportwitness.co.uk/bournemouth-unlikely-invest-player-current-squad-26-year-old-old-barely-playing/#respond Wed, 15 Nov 2023 12:16:07 +0000 http://sportwitness.co.uk/?p=447621 When it was announced that Ionut Radu would be signing for AFC Bournemouth on loan, the player was delighted at the move. He had wanted to play in the Premier League for a while, and this was the chance for him to try and prove himself. The problem for the 26-year-old is that he has

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When it was announced that Ionut Radu would be signing for AFC Bournemouth on loan, the player was delighted at the move.

He had wanted to play in the Premier League for a while, and this was the chance for him to try and prove himself.

The problem for the 26-year-old is that he has barely played for Bournemouth so far, featuring just five times for the Cherries and hardly impressing, which is why Corriere dello Sport do not think the move will go beyond the current loan.

With 11 goals conceding in his appearances and just the one clean sheet, which came in a 2-0 win over Stoke City, there hasn’t been been enough to convince the Premier League side to put money on the table for him.

That’s why they write that Bournemouth are ‘unlikely to invest’ the €8m from his option to buy at the end of the season to keep him permanently.

Therefore, the belief at Inter is they will see him return once the campaign ends, needing to then deal with a potential transfer in the summer, since his contract in Italy ends in 2025, making next summer their last chance to fully capitalise on getting a decent fee.

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Liverpool ‘back in charge’ for signing – Reds offer was just initial attempt http://sportwitness.co.uk/liverpool-back-charge-signing-reds-not-put-off-clubs-decision-reject-offer/ http://sportwitness.co.uk/liverpool-back-charge-signing-reds-not-put-off-clubs-decision-reject-offer/#respond Mon, 06 Nov 2023 11:16:15 +0000 http://sportwitness.co.uk/?p=446092 AFC Bournemouth’s Lloyd Kelly continues to be a transfer target for Liverpool, according to a report. Since the start of last season, he has been used as a centre-back and also as a left-back. His form, versatility and contract situation [deal expires in 2024] has resulted in interest from a few Italian clubs. Tuttosport state

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AFC Bournemouth’s Lloyd Kelly continues to be a transfer target for Liverpool, according to a report.

Since the start of last season, he has been used as a centre-back and also as a left-back. His form, versatility and contract situation [deal expires in 2024] has resulted in interest from a few Italian clubs.

Tuttosport state Juventus are ready to challenge AC Milan to sign the Bournemouth player, who was wanted by Liverpool in the last window.

It’s claimed the Reds offered €20m for the defender but Bournemouth chairman Bill Foley rejected it, after consulting with director Simon Francis and new manager Andoni Iraola.

The Cherries’ decision to turn down the Merseyside club’s proposal hasn’t put them off. Tuttosport state the Reds are ‘now back in charge’ in the chase to sign the 25-year-old.

With the player’s deal expiring in 2024, Jürgen Klopp’s side and other interested clubs can take him on a free transfer next summer.

Juve sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli considers him to be an ideal candidate to bolster his side’s defence. The Old Lady are expected to face competition from Liverpool, Milan, Tottenham, Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund.

Kelly’s decision to appoint Ali Barat as his new agent a few weeks ago would suggest that his future could be away from Bournemouth.

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From Spain: Explanation and insistence why Bournemouth can’t give up on Iraola now http://sportwitness.co.uk/spain-explanation-insistence-bournemouth-cant-give-iraola-now/ http://sportwitness.co.uk/spain-explanation-insistence-bournemouth-cant-give-iraola-now/#respond Tue, 24 Oct 2023 12:16:02 +0000 http://sportwitness.co.uk/?p=444401 Bournemouth may want to stick with manager Andoni Iraola despite a ‘terrifying start’ to the season as he proved at former club Rayo Vallecano that he can turn things around. That’s according to El Correo, who cover the Spanish coach today and the growing pressure on him after a poor start to the season. Bournemouth

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Bournemouth may want to stick with manager Andoni Iraola despite a ‘terrifying start’ to the season as he proved at former club Rayo Vallecano that he can turn things around.

That’s according to El Correo, who cover the Spanish coach today and the growing pressure on him after a poor start to the season.

Bournemouth are currently 19th in the table after failing to win any of their first nine games of the season, losing six and drawing three to date.

They’re yet to show any serious signs of life under the Spanish coach, who arrived in the summer to replace Gary O’Neil and was supposed to bring an exiting brand of attacking football to push the Cherries up the table.

Instead, Iraola is yet to really get his style of football to work, and Bournemouth have looked like easy pickings for several teams, hence their position in the table.

The pressure is growing on Iraola as a result and El Correo admit that after the loss to Wolves at the weekend, he has ‘one foot in the abyss’.

This weekend’s clash with Burnley is likely to be his last chance to impress, although the newspaper does argue that Bournemouth’s board have shown incredible faith in their coach to date.

Their €127m spend in the summer and the fact they haven’t fired him yet demonstrates their faith and the suggestion is they should stick with that for now.

That’s because Iraola already showed at Rayo that his ‘ideas need time to settle’ and he was actually close to the sack at the Spanish club in his first season there before eventually turning things around and securing promotion before establishing them in La Liga.

Of course, doing so in the Premier League is a different matter entirely and the urgency is growing each week, with the clash against Burnley this weekend undoubtedly a ‘true final’.

On the other hand, Mundo Deportivo cover Iraola’s old club today and how they’ve moved on quickly under new manager Francisco Rodríguez.

They explain that Iraola’s departure ‘was a setback’ after three ‘unforgettable seasons’ – further proof Bournemouth should perhaps stick rather than twist – but Rodríguez has quickly helped them forget.

He’s currently led Rayo to 16 points in the first ten rounds of games, matching Iraola’s best tally after that many games from the 2021/22 season.

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