Bournemouth has pulled off a major transfer coup by sealing the £34.6 million signing of French defensive powerhouse Bafodé Diakité from Lille, making him one of the most expensive recruits in the club’s history. The 24-year-old centre-back joins for an initial £30.3 million, with performance-based add-ons potentially pushing the deal to £34.6 million, ranking just behind the club’s record-breaking purchase of striker Evanilson.
Diakité, a consistent performer in Ligue 1, played 31 matches for Lille last season, helping them secure a fifth-place finish, and featured in 10 Champions League games. Known for his physical presence and ability to score from set-pieces, he netted 13 goals during his time at Lille, earning the title of France’s highest-scoring defender over the past three years. He previously made the switch from Toulouse in 2022 for just £2.5 million, proving to be one of Lille’s most profitable sales.
Read also:
- Crystal Palace loses Europa League appeal, faces shock drop to Conference League
- D’Tigers releases final squad, set for Men’s AfroBasket Championship in Angola
- Sesko officially signs with Man Utd in £74m deal
His arrival comes amid a dramatic defensive shake-up at Bournemouth. The Cherries have seen three of their star defenders leave this summer, including Illia Zabarnyi’s £57 million move to Paris Saint-Germain, Dean Huijsen’s £50 million switch to Real Madrid, and Milos Kerkez’s £40 million transfer to Liverpool. In response, Bournemouth has been swift in bolstering their backline, having already signed left-back Adrien Truffert from Rennes for £14.4 million in June and actively scouting for an additional centre-back.
Manager Andoni Iraola will waste no time integrating Diakité into his squad, with the Frenchman set to start training ahead of Friday’s high-profile Premier League opener against reigning champions Liverpool. The club and its fans will be hoping the towering defender can bring solidity to a backline that has undergone a complete overhaul in one of Bournemouth’s most aggressive transfer windows to date.
