Unal tore an anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during training – the Turkey international has suffered that injury twice in just over a year – and joins record signing Evanilson on the sidelines after he broke his foot.
But will it derail their remarkable season? Don’t bet on it. Bournemouth’s flying form seems to be built on solid foundations.
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It’s understood they’re attracting interest from some of the biggest clubs in Europe. Kerkez has admirers at Liverpool, while Newcastle like Zabarnyi and Semenyo. Chelsea are also fans of Ukraine defender Zabarnyi.
None will be sold this January, with Bournemouth instead open to deals to allow Max Aarons and Philip Billing – who was interesting Newcastle last year – to leave.
Centre-back Matai Akinmboni, a US under-20 international signed from DC United for around £1m will join the development squad.
Soler is seen as one for the future (Photo: Getty)
Alongside former Roma director of football Tiago Pinto, Foley appointed the highly-rated Columbus Crew general manager Tim Bezbatchenko to tighten up the club’s multi-club model.
It is intended to be the last part of the Black Knight jigsaw, and another step towards Bournemouth’s evolution.
Iraola’s work behind the scenes
What that means is he is a classic training ground coach, dedicated to player development, set pieces and squeezing any improvement out of the squad he’s inherited. Whatever his personal ambitions, he doesn’t get involved in training ground politics or worrying about the transfer window.
Iraola has transformed Bournemouth into a surprise package (Photo: Getty)
A rival Premier League coach told The i Paper that what makes Iraola stand out is his commitment to transitions. “Bournemouth attack quickly, they’re quite direct from that point of view, and they can be a nightmare to defend against,” they said.
The team trains at high intensity and if anyone’s level drops, they can expect to be dropped themselves.
Over Christmas he spent 10 days around the club, speaking to players, watching training and checking in with staff from the boardroom to the canteen. That common touch belies a fierce ambition to make Bournemouth more than just a “club on the south coast of England”.
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His background in sport – he also owns the ice hockey team the Vegas Black Knights – means that he has an innate understanding of the rhythms of an elite sporting environment.
But bringing in Iraola has taken them to the next level and when Bournemouth went nine games without a win last season, his backing remained steadfast.
This year’s impressive first half of the season has been a surprise. The idea was that they would target Europe in “two or three years” but they are in contention, ahead of schedule, this year.
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