Bournemouth Nears Signing of Bafode Diakite from Lille
Bournemouth is on the verge of finalizing the acquisition of French centre-back Bafode Diakite from Lille for approximately £34.6 million.
Diakite, 24, will incur an initial fee of £30.3 million, with an additional £4.3 million in performance-related add-ons, making him Bournemouth's second most expensive signing to date.
The defender has made 85 appearances in Ligue 1 since joining Lille from Toulouse in 2022 and featured in 10 matches in the Champions League last season.
Last season, Bournemouth set a new transfer record when they signed striker Evanilson from Porto for a fee that could escalate to £40.2 million.
Currently, Diakite is in the UK to undergo a medical examination and is expected to become the club's third signing of the summer, joining left-back Adrien Truffert and goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic.
Additionally, 19-year-old forward Eli Junior Kroupi has been added to Andoni Iraola's squad after spending the latter part of last season on loan at Lorient following his move to Bournemouth.
The Cherries have seen significant changes in their defense, having sold key players from last season. Milos Kerkez has transferred to Liverpool for £40 million, while Dean Huijsen has moved to Real Madrid for £50 million.
With Ukrainian centre-back Illia Zabarnyi reportedly close to joining Paris Saint-Germain for £63 million plus add-ons, Bournemouth is eager to secure another defender before the transfer window closes.
The south-coast club has expressed interest in Chelsea defender Josh Acheampong and Sevilla centre-back Loic Bade, although it appears that Bade is likely to join Bayer Leverkusen.