AFC Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola has confirmed that the Cherries transfer window is far from over amidst intense speculation regarding the future of striker Dominic Solanke.
It has been reported over the past week that Tottenham Hotspur were strongly interested in signing the striker, who scored 19 Premier League goals during the 2023/24 campaign.
It has been widely reported that Dominic Solanke’s contract with the Cherries includes a £65 million release clause, “that can only be activated by certain clubs“. At the time there had been suggestions that Arsenal, Chelsea and AC Milan were the leading contenders, but in more recent weeks Tottenham have become the heavy favourites.
If the 26-year-old leaves the Cherries, he will have featured in 216 games in all competitions, scoring 77 times.
That includes 44 goals in the Championship, along with 15 assists across two seasons, culminating in automatic promotion in 2022.
During his first season back in the Premier League for the 2022/23 campaign Solanke had 13 goal contributions, including 6 goals under former head coaches Scott Parker and Gary O’Neil.
As a focal point under Iraola, which included more attacking emphasis, Solanke’s goal contributions skyrocketed to 22, including 19 goals and was a consideration for England manager Gareth Southgate for the recent UEFA European Championships in Germany.
⚪️ Tottenham started exploring deal for Dominic Solanke last week, as exclusively revealed.
He’s on the shortlist and Spurs are well informed on the release clause (around £65m).
Initial talks took place, Bournemouth still hope to keep Solanke. ⤵️👀 https://t.co/07md6o15F0
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 6, 2024
AFC Bournemouth have been busy in the transfer window so far, Dean Huijsen from Italian Serie A side Juventus became the Cherries third signing of the summer following the additions of goalkeeper Alex Paulsen from Australian A-League side Wellington Phoenix and Sheffield United striker Daniel Jebbison.
Whilst Kieffer Moore, Joe Rothwell, Jamal Lowe, Emiliano Marcondes, Ryan Fredericks, Darren Randolph and Lloyd Kelly have all left Dean Court.
Iraola told the Daily Echo…
“I think things are going to happen. We are going to sign players and we are going to loan and sell players, for sure.
“I don’t know how much, but I think not only in Bournemouth, but in every team, movements are going to happen.
“We are in a position now where we know more or less the players, their roles, every player knows more or less his place in the team.
“We have the numbers. Now it’s a matter of seeing what the market gives you.
“Sometimes we’ve tried this window to sign players that we liked, we tried and then we arrive to a limit and now we cannot sign.
“We are, more or less by numbers, probably from last season we lose Lloyd Kelly. We have signed Dean, from the players that played a good amount of minutes.
“Now it’s a matter of seeing what the market gives you, the chances we can see to improve the team. I know the club is working on this.”
Solanke’s departure will come as a big blow to AFC Bournemouth, including owner Bill Foley who in a recent interview stated that he didn’t believe the striker would leave the club this summer.
Foley told the BBC…
“…We shouldn’t reveal anything about the contract but that area (release clause) sounds roughly correct. I guess if someone comes for him, we are going to have to replace him.
“We have two or three candidates that we have lined up. But I believe Dom will be here next year and I believe he is going to score 21 or 22 goals.”
Your say…
Runnerrunnerru said…
Would much rather we keep him tbh. £65 mil, but we paid about £20mil, liverpool get a further £10mil roughly from sell on, so we are £35mil profit for probably our most important player, with £100mil+ for staying in the prem….
Unless he really wants to go and downs tools, then we are better off with him than the money.
SteveJonesLegend wrote…
If Solanke is still with us come close of the window, and he goes on to bag 7/8 goals between then and Jan… It will still only be a matter of time until ‘someone’ triggers that clause…
AFCBade replied…
I expect some clubs may feel Dom had a freak year last year so may return to old form this but a decent start may give them more faith.
No doubt playing under AI combined with a more central position has uplifted his past scoring levels – so no reason why that shouldn’t continue at a club like Spurs under Ange. A decent start this season will be a compelling reason to sign him if they can afford it. Getting Toney instead of Dom though is an odd choice in my humble opinion.
I do think getting £65m for Dom should be accepted at some point but would hope for one more year
Garbo added….
Don’t think for a second that Levy will sanction 65 million on Solanke…so I hope we stand firm and don’t get bullied into selling.The clause was built into his contract for this very reason to prevent him from being sold ‘cheaply’ to some club who think that they can rob us financially. – To join the conversation, click here.