Bournemouth: Ryan, Crupi Junior, Scott – who will be Andoni Iraola’s next big star after the sale of Antoine Semenyo? |Soccer News

The sale of Antoine Semenyo to Manchester City in January took Bournemouth’s transfer income from the summer of 2024 onwards to over £300m.

Dominik Solanke, Milos Kerkes and Dean Huyssen are among the high-profile names to have moved from the Vitality Stadium and demanded big transfer fees.

Big challenges remain and despite a mid-season stumble, the Cherries are back in the top half of the table and may still have hopes of qualifying for Europe despite having to go through some turmoil in their squad.

Ahead of the trip to West Ham, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, the question remains as to who will take center stage and be the next breakout star after Andoni Iraola.

Two guys ready to become the next Semenyo?

The latest challenge facing Iraola in this campaign is trying to compensate for the impact of the recently departed Semenyo. With 10 goals and three assists, he has been the most productive player the Spaniard has at his disposal this season, but more than one person may be needed to fill the void.

Fortunately, two players already seem ready to step up.

Just under half of the money the club recouped from signing Semenho went into Brazilian star Rayan. Although still in its early stages, the money appears to be well spent.

Two goals and one assist in his first three Premier League games is an incredible start for a player who is adjusting to life in English football and won’t be 20 until August.

Although the sample size is small, the numbers show he was able to statistically compete with the league’s best forwards on both ends of the pitch in multiple different areas. He ranks in the top five for chances created, expected assists and possession gained in the final third, and is also in the top 10 for attempts and final third passes.

It’s early days, but there are signs he could be in the spotlight. However, one of his teammates might have something to say about that.

While Semenyo has grabbed the headlines, Eli Junior Crupi has been a very reliable substitute and could be eyeing a starring role.

The French youngster has scored eight goals in his first year in the Premier League, the most of any player Iraola currently has available. This is despite starting less than half of the 21 games.

He may lack Semenyo’s creativity, but he is more than capable in front of goal.

It may be premature to suggest that either Rayan or Junior Crupi can take over from Semenyo right away, but the combination of the two may be enough as they continue to grow into household names in their own right.

Scott lines up to replicate Anderson’s step-up

There are signs that Alex Scott is developing into a future England player. The 22-year-old received his first call-up to the Three Lions in November but will have to wait until he receives his first cap.

His defensive stats are comparable to the best at his position in the league, but he’s off the pace a bit in possession. A light leading in many of these categories could give him a goal.

Elliott Anderson is a player the Scot knows well and is one of many to praise the Nottingham Forest star’s development into one of the top-performing all-round midfielders. Anderson, 23, and Scott, 22, are at similar stages in their careers. And the Cherriesman could be ready to step up as well.

If you look at the stats, you’ll see that Scott performed at a very similar level to Anderson last season. In many fields, there is little to distinguish between the two.

The biggest difference seems to be in the creative part. Scott was a little behind Anderson last term in terms of chance creation. But when they don’t have the ball, they’re going back and forth, and most of their overall play when they have the ball is close.

If Scott can make a similar leap forward as Anderson in the coming weeks and months, fans could see an all-action midfield player at a level Bournemouth have never had before, despite some impressive recent additions.

future defensive star

Bournemouth’s backline has been most affected in the summer. Three of the four main players left the club, one of whom was the aforementioned Kerkes, who moved to Liverpool.

While the Hungarian started his time at Anfield with something of a pause, his replacement was anything but. Adrian Truffert was another name in English football this summer, but he has risen to prominence since his move from Stade Rennais.

His performance this season has surpassed that of his predecessor, with him scoring more overlapping runs this season than any other player.

Coach Iraola will demand that the 24-year-old add more end product to his game, as he has only registered one assist so far, but he has already succeeded Coach Kerkes.

Perhaps it is in the heart of defense that the Cherries are still reeling. Huysen and Ilia Zabarny formed a great partnership last season as Bournemouth kept eight clean sheets in the league. That tally now stands at six this term, with Marcos Senesi partnering with the likes of James Hill and Bafode Diakité throughout the campaign.

But perhaps most notable is someone waiting in the wings. Serbia’s Veljko Milosavljevic may only have made seven Premier League appearances since joining in the summer, but he will be looking to get more minutes in the coming weeks after returning to the squad following a knee injury.

Interestingly, the beginning of his life at Bournemouth mirrors that of Zabalny and Huysen. Around the 90 minute mark, Milosavljevic leads the way in tackles and clearances, but falls between the two when it comes to aerial duels and lost challenges.

Milosavljevic requires the most effort on the ball to catch up with the two players in front of him, but he also makes more last-third passes than Zabarny, suggesting he is more progressive in possession than the Ukrainian.

At 6ft 3, the 18-year-old is already a commanding presence and will definitely be a player to keep an eye on once he settles into English football.

Saturday, February 21st 5pm

5:30pm kickoff