Andoni Iraola, Illia Zabarnyi, Bournemouth 2
Credit: Imago/Hasan Karim, Breaking Media
Keith Wyness
Thu 26 June 2025 7:00, UK
Bournemouth have been tipped for a Premier League relegation battle next season after a number of key player exits.
The Cherries set a new top-flight points record of 56 in the 2024/25 campaign on their way to a ninth-place finish, but their squad is now being picked apart.
Dean Huijsen has already joined Real Madrid, and both Milos Kerkez and Illia Zabarnyi are expected to follow the Spaniard away from the south coast.
To make matters worse, Antoine Semenyo and Justin Kluivert have also been linked with moves to Tottenham and Bayer Leverkusen respectively.
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that Andoni Iraola’s side will struggle to cope with the sheer number of departures this summer.
Bournemouth centre-back Dean Hujsen
Huijsen has joined Real Madrid (Credit: Imago)
‘Bournemouth to have a real problem’, says Wyness
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness insisted that Bournemouth’s situation is different from Brighton’s in the past as they don’t have the experience of coping with player departures.
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In recent years, Brighton have made a habit of selling their biggest talents and replacing them with cheaper alternatives while maintaining their league form.
Wyness added that the departure of Richard Hughes could also prove costly for the Cherries.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “This is more a sporting director situation, in terms of Richard Hughes moving on to Liverpool.
“Richard was a very key, and probably the Bournemouth squad that succeeded last year was a product of his work, and that really is the last time that’s going to happen.
“We all expected Bournemouth to be picked apart by the scavengers, and it’s happened.
“I do expect them to have a real problem next year. I think there’ll be a lack of experience and stability.
“Bournemouth had great momentum last year. They got some good results early and that’s what kept them going. In the end, they managed to get some good results and finish well up the table. I think that momentum is going be a lot more fragile this year.
“Brighton have done this before; they’ve sold a lot of players and managed to fill those gaps well, but I think Brighton have been at that game for a bit longer than Bournemouth, so I’m afraid they’re in my bottom six at the moment for next year.”
Andoni Iraola Bournemouth
Iraola could lose a huge part of his first-team squad. (Credit: Imago)
Walsall leading race to sign Bournemouth youngster
Meanwhile, Football Insider has exclusively revealed (24 June) that Walsall are leading the race to sign Bournemouth forward Jonny Stuttle on loan.
The 19-year-old has been given the green light by the Premier League club for a new loan after temporary spells at Aldershot and Farnborough last season.
Stuttle is a target for a host of League Two and National League sides in this summer’s transfer window.
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