Bournemouth are so used to playing the role of the underdog that they’ve relished the role of Premier League’s minnow over the past decade. But no longer.
After a short stint in the Championship, the Cherries are back, and this time they are going big. Having settled for a season under Gary O’Neill, himself an underdog success story, they’ve shaken off that tag and started to make some rapid progress.
Sacking O’Neill was deemed harsh, but it was necessary for the club to progress and his successor Andoni Iraola is already making a big impression on the south coast. Fresh from a 15th place finish in the Premier League, they’ve dived head first into the transfer market, spending £50m on players from Sassuolo, AZ Alkmaar, Lyon and Roma.
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The latest addition is 19-year-old left-back Milos Kerkez, who according to chief executive Neil Blake "was being tracked by a number of clubs in Europe" before deciding to join the Cherries.
It’s a sign of the times if a teenage defender, reportedly with interest from Champions League clubs abroad decides to join Bournemouth. That fact doesn’t just represent the growing ambition and excitement around the club, but the emerging dominance of the Premier League itself. No other league in Europe would see its 15th place team spend over £50m in the first few weeks of the transfer window.
Blake continued: "We are delighted to announce the signing of Milos, a talented young player with a great deal of potential.
"He was being tracked by a number of clubs in Europe but was very keen to join us after hearing about our plans and ambitions for the future. An athletic and attacking full-back, Milos will be an excellent addition to our exciting squad and we are looking forward to working with him."
It’s a mark of intent for Bournemouth, who have already added the talents of Justin Kluivert, Romain Faivre and Hamad Junior Traore to their ranks this summer. Imagine a decade ago somebody telling you six years ago that Kluivert would end up at the Vitality Stadium.
Talking of which, Bournemouth can no longer even boast that they have the smallest stadium in the top flight, now Luton Town and Kenilworth Road have arrived. Their ground looks like a modern palace compared to Luton’s rickety old shack they call home.
The underdog status is all well and good, and easy to live up to for a club like Luton next term. But Bournemouth have moved way beyond that. So have Newcastle United for that matter. They are one of the richest teams on the planet and have spent over £300m since their takeover went through. They might not be as powerful as the likes of the Manchester clubs, but they are no longer a small fish in a big pond.
But Bournemouth’s spending and new boss certainly isn’t a bad thing for the club, it is just taking them onto a different level. The Cherries battled valiantly under Eddie Howe in their first stint in the Premier League and it is that longevity that has allowed them to establish themselves once again in the top flight.
Now, with a bucketload of ambition, they are spending big. Little old Bournemouth are no longer. Here’s to the new era of success.
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