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New Delhi: Bournemouth have reached an agreement with Liverpool to sign winger Ben Doak in a deal worth up to £25 million. The transfer will see the south coast club pay an initial £20m with a further £5m structured in add-ons. The 19-year-old is expected to finalise the move within the next 24 hours, pending medical tests and paperwork.
Doak was a notable absentee from Liverpool's 4-2 win over the Cherries at Anfield in the opening game of the season, with negotiations between the clubs already at an advanced stage. The winger joined the Reds from Celtic in 2022 but has featured in only ten games for Liverpool's senior team. A loan spell at Middlesbrough last season has given him valuable first-team experience, where he contributed three goals and seven assists in 24 appearances.
Doak's form invited interest from several clubs, with Leeds United and Porto among those interested in signing him, but Bournemouth ultimately won the race for his signature.
The move to Cherries presents a chance for the youngster a chance to secure consistent top-flight football. At Liverpool, he remained on the fringes of the squad, but at Bournemouth, he is expected to challenge directly for a starting role. At just 19, he offers pace, creativity and an eye for goal that Andoni Iraola's side will be keen to harness.
This summer transfer continues a hectic window for Bournemouth, who have already seen significant changes in their squad. Just last week, they sold forward Dango Ouattara to Brentford for £42.5m while defenders Illia Zabarnyi, Dean Huijsen and Milos Kerkez departed for huge fees to Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Liverpool respectively. In total, the Cherries have recouped around £150m from player sales.
On the arrival front, goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, left-back Andrien Truffert and centre-back Bafode Diakite have all been added to strengthen the squad. January signing Eli Junior Kroupi has also joined up with the team after completing a loan spell at Lorient. Even with these moves, Iraola admitted his squad is "not where they want to be" and promised more "important movements" before the window shuts on September 1.
The club remains in the market for reinforcements, particularly at centre-back and in attack. With Enes Unal sidelined until late in the year due to a serious knee injury, another striker is high on the agenda to provide cover and competition for Evanilson.
Doak’s arrival offers immediate depth out wide and injects energy into an attack needing fresh ideas after recent departures. For Bournemouth, it’s a statement of intent, investing in a player who could grow into a Premier League regular while giving the squad a youthful edge.
