Ben Doak admitted Bournemouth ‘feels like the perfect fit’ after he completed a move to the south-coast club from Liverpool for an initial fee of £20million.
Doak, 19, joined Liverpool from Celtic in 2022 but failed to find a regular place in the starting line-up, making just 10 first-team appearances for the Reds.
The winger found his feet on loan at Middlesbrough last season, however, and had established himself as one of the brightest young talents in the Championship with three goals and seven assists in 24 matches before his campaign was cut short through injury.
Those displays prompted interest from home and abroad, with Leeds, Nottingham Forest, West Ham, Stuttgart and Porto all linked with a move.
But it is the Cherries who have won the race for the Scotland international’s signature, and he becomes the fourth new face of the summer at the Vitality Stadium.
Doak ‘buzzing to join Bournemouth’
Doak, who now wishes to be known as Ben Gannon Doak to reflect both his parents’ surnames, told the club’s website: “I’m buzzing to be here.
“I feel like it’s the right time for me and it’s a great opportunity to play regular football at the highest level. It feels like the perfect fit.
“The team plays very nice football. It’s fast and it really suits my game, so I felt like I couldn’t say no to the chance to play here.”
READ MORE: Premier League round-up: Opening weekend wins for Man City, Liverpool and Arsenal
‘Pace and energy’ key to Doak’s move
Bournemouth’s Head of Football Operations Tiago Pinto added: “Ben is an exciting young talent who has shown his quality at the highest level despite his age.
“He brings pace and energy that will fit our model well, and we’re thoroughly looking forward to helping him fulfil his potential at AFC Bournemouth.
“We’re pleased to bring another player into the club during this window as we continue to reinvest in the squad.”
Who could be the next player to leave Liverpool?
Liverpool have been the Premier League’s biggest spenders in the transfer window, but the sale of Doak means they have now recouped around £200million in transfer fees, including hefty figures for Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Jarrell Quansah.
They could be followed out of the Anfield exit door by midfielder Harvey Elliott, who is reportedly in talks with Austrian side RB Leipzig, as well as Kostas Tsimikas, who may be on his way to Nottingham Forest.
READ NEXT: Premier League news: Liverpool leave it late to beat Bournemouth in opener
SportJustSport writers