AFC Bournemouth’s push for promotion has been strengthened by the recent signing of seven new players. Steve 'Fletch' Fletcher, AFC Bournemouth's First Team Coach, introduces us to the latest additions to the Cherries and reveals the skills and strengths they bring with them
When you’re halfway through a season, focussing on matters on the pitch, the opening of the January transfer window can be unsettling for players and clubs alike. Signing players is notorious difficult at this time of year with most football clubs keen to avoid doing business. And you can end up paying over the odds if you’re not careful.
The absence of a number of key players for the majority of this season made it necessary for us to be active in the most recent window. Any club would struggle without three of their main players being unavailable for the most part of this campaign, and that is the situation we have found ourselves in at AFC Bournemouth in 2021/22 season with David Brooks, Junior Stanislas and Adam Smith all side-lined.
Of our seven January signings, three players put pen-to-paper on permanent deals while a further four players will remain with us on loan until the end of the season. 20-year-old central defender James Hill was the first of those January signings, arriving from Fleetwood Town on a four-and-half-year contract. I remember coming up against James’ dad Matt Hill during my playing career and what a player he was. James appears to be a chip off the old block – a polite, well-mannered individual with a hunger to learn, he possesses all the attributes to develop into an excellent defender.
A few days after James’ arrival, we secured the loan signing of Manchester United right-back Ethan Laird until the end of the season. Ethan was on loan with Swansea City in the first half of this season and played well in our 4-0 win over the Swans at the Vitality Stadium back in November.
Transfer deadline day was unlike anything I’ve ever known at the club with five more players arriving on January 31. Siriki Dembele joined us on a permanent deal after four excellent seasons at Peterborough United. Capable of playing in wide positions or up front, Siriki’s versatility could prove very useful to us over the course of this season.
Having been a centre-forward during my playing career, I was particularly excited with our signing of Welsh international Kieffer Moore. Kieffer is strong in the air, excellent at holding the ball up and a great finisher. Whether he starts upfront alone, with Dominic Solanke, or comes off the bench, he carries a real goal threat.
Defender Nathaniel Phillips arrived on loan from Liverpool until the end of the season. Having played over 20 matches for the Reds during his career, his ability is clear. With Steve Cook departing for Nottingham Forest in the transfer window, we needed to a bring a new centre-half or two to the club, so were pleased to sign both James and Nathaniel.
Fellow loanee, Freddie Woodman, provides cover in the goalkeeping department. Freddie has had Premier League experience with his parent club Newcastle United while he was number one at Swansea City whilst on loan with Swans last season and the season before that.
Comfortable on the ball and an excellent passer, our final loan signing - Todd Cantwell - should be very much at home at AFC Bournemouth with the style of football we play. Todd always impressed me with his performances for parent club Norwich City and when we found the option was there to bring him to the club until the end of the season, we grabbed it.
These additions have certainly strengthened our squad as our campaign for promotion continues. We now have two good players in pretty much every position, which is a healthy situation to be in as one player is always pushing another for his place in the team.
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About Steve Fletcher: Affectionately known as ‘Fletch’, Steve Fletcher joined AFC Bournemouth in 1992 and played for them for over 20 years, setting the club record for most appearances. Nowadays he is Club Ambassador and First-Team Coach. Fletch donates his monthly fee for this column to Waggy Tails Rescue. Follow on Twitter @afcbournemouth
