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With Bournemouth halfway through their second ever Premier League season you would have to say that they have adapted to life in the top flight well. As with any promoted club that manages to avoid the drop in their first season, the next task is then avoiding ‘Second Season Syndrome’
That is something that The Cherries have managed to fend off in the first half of this campaign but their F.A. Cup defeat away to Millwall highlights the fact that they perhaps don’t have the strength in depth to make wholesale changes like the ones that were witnessed at The Den.
Some may have felt those changes unnecessary what with Bournemouth in a comfortable league position but this side certainly cannot afford to get too complacent going into the second half of the season. To make sure his team don’t slide down the table then Eddie Howe may well look to bringing in a few more players to get them over the line and secure a third top flight campaign come August.
So with that said, let us now take a look at three potential signings for Bournemouth this month.
John Terry
The Cherries may well have been unfortunate to see Nathan Ake recalled by parent club Chelsea after a string of impressive performances this season but they could return to Stamford Bridge in a bid to complete arguably one of the shock moves of this transfer window.
That is because they have none other than former England captain John Terry in their sights in regards to a move to The Vitality Stadium. Terry’s days at Stamford Bridge are undoubtedly coming to an end and with Chelsea being in the form that they are in as of late then the 36 year old’s first team opportunities are becoming few and far between.
Terry obviously has not helped himself on that front after receiving a Red Card in the F.A. Cup 3rd Round tie against Peterborough and with the prospect of him being limited to just what few cup appearances that Chelsea may have this season, he may well feel that it’s time to see out his playing days elsewhere.
If there is one thing that has let Bournemouth down this season it has been their defence. They seemed assured in attack but this is a side that is often prone to the odd defensive lapse. But should they manage to pull off the capture of Terry’s signature then his experience would undoubtedly give this side a boost in confidence at the back.
Terry has often been linked with big money moves to the MLS or China but if he does not want to end his career abroad then a move to South Coast may very well be the perfect place to see out his playing days.
Pedro Pereira
Another defensive target that Bournemouth have their eyes on in regards to a signature this month is that of Pedro Pereira of Sampdoria. The 18 year old has been a staple of Portugal’s youth setup and he has represented his country and Under 15 through to Under 18 level.
He is a hotly tipped prospect for the future with both Leicester and Italian giants Juventus having previously been linked with signing the youngster. But it’s now Bournemouth who are at the head of the queue with a fee of £7m being believed to be enough to bring Pereira to the Premier League.
After deciding to stay at Sampdoria in the Summer the Portuguese starlet has been rewarded with 10 Serie A appearances this season and it’s those which would have captured the attention of the Bournemouth scouting department.
He may not quite be top of many Bournemouth fans shopping lists for this transfer window but if the club can capture Pereira’s services then they could very well reap the rewards of his talents for years to come.
Morgan Sanson
To complete this trio of potential transfer targets we now move our attention to France and Montpelier in particular as Bournemouth could be prepared to make a bid for Morgan Sanson. They have been tracking the 22 year old since last month and with a number of clubs doing likewise may well feel that now is the right time to move that interest to the next level.
French giants Marseille have already tried their luck with a bid of £7m but that was instantly dismissed by Montpelier. It is believed that bids lower than £10m will not be entertained so if Bournemouth are to sign Sanson then it may cost them. But in this day £10m probably presents itself as good value for a player who represented France at Under 21 level.
With other clubs around Europe also eyeing up Sanson, the one thing Bournemouth do not want to get caught up in is a bidding war, one which would undoubtedly see Sanson’s asking price increase. Therefore Bournemouth will probably want to get a deal wrapped up as soon as possible.
After only making 14 appearances in Ligue 1 last season, Sanson has been a near ever present this season as Montepellier boss Frederic Hantz continues to show his faith in him. Unfortunately though it seems the more he plays the more he is in the shop window and there is now a strong likelihood that he will be with a new club before the end of the month.
