Bournemouth Agree to Sign Bafodé Diakité from Lille in €40M Deal

Bournemouth and Lille have reached a deal for the transfer of central defender Bafodé Diakité, and personal terms have been agreed upon.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Cherries have been pursuing Diakité for a while and eventually reached an agreement, with Bournemouth set to pay €35M upfront plus €5M in add-ons. The centre-back has accepted a long-term deal with the Premier League side, and he is set to undergo a medical soon before finalising the move to Vitality Stadium.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Diakité joined Lille from Toulouse in 2022 and has made 102 appearances for the club in all competitions in three seasons, scoring four goals and assisting six times. The former France youth international has been a key part of the Lille defence for several years and will now bring his quality to the Cherries.

WHAT NEXT FOR BOURNEMOUTH?

Cherries will work to complete the transfer of the centre-back at the earliest as they prepare for their first Premier League fixture of the season against Liverpool after the departure of Zabarnyi to PSG as confirmed earlier this week.