Seeking a new central defender, AFC Bournemouth`s search follows Dean Huijsen`s big-money departure to Real Madrid and interest from Paris Saint-Germain in Ilya Zabarni. Their pursuit has now focused on 24-year-old Bafodé Diakité.
Reports earlier this week indicated that Bournemouth had begun talks with Lille OSC regarding the French player. His performances, notably in the UEFA Champions League, are said to have caught their eye.
Lille is known for being a difficult club to negotiate with. According to reports, they are asking for a minimum of €35 million for Diakité, who is under contract until 2028. This valuation is reportedly deemed too high by Bournemouth at present. Consequently, the Cherries are exploring other potential targets, including Nathan Zézé (20) of FC Nantes and Mario Gila (24) from Lazio.
