Bournemouth Signs Bafode Diakite from Lille for £34.6 Million
Bournemouth has finalized the signing of French centre-back Bafode Diakite from Lille for a fee of £34.6 million.
The 24-year-old will cost the Cherries an initial £30.3 million, with potential add-ons reaching up to £4.3 million, making him the club's second most expensive signing to date.
Last season, Diakite made 31 appearances in Ligue 1 as Lille secured a fifth-place finish in the French top division, and he also featured 10 times in the Champions League.
His arrival comes on the heels of Illia Zabarnyi's departure, marking the third significant defensive exit for Bournemouth during this transfer window, as he joined Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.
Zabarnyi's £57 million transfer followed Dean Huijsen's £50 million move to Real Madrid and Liverpool's acquisition of Milos Kerkez for £40 million.
In June, Bournemouth also signed left-back Adrien Truffert from Rennes in a £14.4 million deal, and they are actively seeking another central defender.
The Cherries have confirmed that Diakite will immediately join Andoni Iraola's squad as they prepare to face reigning champions Liverpool in their opening match of the Premier League season on Friday.
Diakite has made a total of 112 appearances in all competitions for Lille, scoring 13 goals, since joining the club from Toulouse in 2022.