Ben Gannon-Doak left Liverpool on a permanent basis to sign for Bournemouth during the 2025 summer transfer window.
Doak arrived at Anfield in July 2022, linking up with the Reds’ youth team after a spell with Celtic.
Despite only being 16 at the time, it did not take the young winger long to earn a first-team debut under Jurgen Klopp.
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He came on in the 74th minute of a League Cup tie versus Derby County on November 9, 2022, and received high praise from Klopp post-match.
The German said: “He is really a lively boy, a smart player, good dribbler, fast, can use both legs. He’s good. It was nice to watch, really nice to watch – him coming in and immediately a lot of things are obviously natural to him, which is really helpful.”
Less than a week after his debut, Doak was handed his first professional contract with Liverpool on November 14.
The Scotsman went on to make a further nine appearances for the Merseyside outfit’s senior side while still featuring at youth level.
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Then, in 2024/25, Liverpool fans were given a true glimpse of the quality the now 20-year-old possesses.
Ben Gannon-Doak carried Middlesbrough during loan spell
Liverpool agreed to send Doak out on loan to Championship outfit Middlesbrough for the 2024/25 campaign.
He could not have had a better first half of the season, and quickly cemented himself as one of the most dangerous wingers in the second-tier, leading to Michael Carrick praising him in November 2024.
The former Middlesbrough boss said: “There’s no getting away from it, Ben’s having a really good time of it at the moment. He’s playing some good football and looking dangerous.
“The opportunity for him to come here and play and be part of the squad – he’s obviously confident. We know his strengths, it’s pretty obvious what he’s good at and he’s taken that on to Scotland as well.”
Doak quickly supplanted Isaiah Jones as Boro’s primary right winger and contributed 10 goals and assists in the first half of the season.
He was by far and away Middlesbrough’s most lethal attacker, and the North East outfit were on course to secure a play-off spot with him in the side.
However, the Teessiders’ season quickly fell apart in late January when Doak suffered a long-term injury that eventually saw him return to Liverpool and ruled him out for the remainder of 2024/25.
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Ben Gannon-Doak struggles at Bournemouth
Once the Scotland international had recovered, Doak was sold to Bournemouth over the summer for a reported £25m, with the deal including a buy-back clause thought to be over £50m.
Given how well he played at Middlesbrough prior to his injury, including such a clause seemed like a smart bit of business on Liverpool’s part.
Doak was excited by the move at the time, telling Bournemouth’s club media: “I’m buzzing to be here. I feel like it’s the right time for me and it’s a great opportunity to play regular football at the highest level. It feels like the perfect fit.
“The team play very nice football. It’s fast, and it really suits my game, so I felt like I couldn’t say no to the chance to play here.”
However, the right-winger has since endured a very difficult spell at the Vitality Stadium.
He was left on the bench for his first four Premier League matches with the Cherries, eventually making a 17-minute cameo against Leeds United on September 27.
Doak made a further three substitute appearances in the league and provided his first assist against Fulham in October.
But he was failing to cement himself as a regular starter at Bournemouth and has now been sidelined since the November international break.
He underwent surgery after picking up a hamstring problem with Scotland and has yet to return.
To date, he has made just five appearances for Bournemouth across all competitions for a total of just 98 minutes of action.
It’s an unfortunate situation for the forward to be in after he had shown so much promise at Liverpool and Middlesbrough.
An exact return date for Doak is yet to be confirmed, but let’s hope his latest injury problem does not hold him back from realising his full potential.
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