Bournemouth seals £25m deal for young Liverpool winger Ben Doak

Bournemouth has reached an agreement to sign Liverpool winger Ben Doak for an initial £20 million, with an additional £5 million in add-ons. The 19-year-old is expected to complete his transfer to the south coast within the next 24 hours, pending a medical and the finalization of paperwork.

Doak was noticeably absent from Liverpool’s squad during their recent 4-2 victory over Bournemouth at Anfield, a clear sign that negotiations were in their final stages. The Cherries have successfully secured the forward, beating out interest from other Premier League clubs like Leeds and Portuguese side Porto.

This move is seen as a crucial step for Doak's development, as it will give him a better chance at consistent first-team football. Since joining Liverpool from Celtic in 2022, the Scottish international has only made 10 senior appearances for the Reds. Last season, he spent time on loan at Middlesbrough, where he gained valuable experience, scoring three goals and providing seven assists in 24 matches.

Bournemouth has been highly active in the transfer market this summer. The club recently sold Dango Ouattara to Brentford for a record £42.5 million and has seen a combined total of approximately £150 million generated from the departures of defenders Illia Zabarnyi, Dean Huijsen, and Milos Kerkez to Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, and Liverpool, respectively.

Following the defeat to Liverpool, Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola indicated that the club was "not where they want to be" and promised "important movements" before the transfer window closes on September 1. This summer, the club has already welcomed new additions, including goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, left-back Adrien Truffert, and center-back Bafode Diakite, with January signing Eli Junior Kroupi also joining the squad after a loan spell at Lorient.

Sources close to the club say the Cherries are still in the market for a central defender and a striker to compete with their current forward, Evanilson. This is especially urgent as an alternative option, Enes Unal, is expected to be out with a major knee injury until November or December. Doak's arrival addresses a different need for the club, providing a much-needed boost to their attacking options on the wing.