Having secured their place in the top flight with a likely mid-table finish, Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth are already planning to improve on their performances this season by adding some star players to their squad in the summer. They are looking to improve on a couple of positions and one player now on the radar is Lois Diony.
Relatively unknown, currently playing for Dijon FCO, a top-tier club in the French domestic league, Diony is a striker in every sense of the word. Born and brought up in France, Diony started his youth career with Bordeaux and Nantes before making himself popular in his time at Mont-de-Marsan.
After just a year, he managed to earn a move to Dijon and has ever since been an important part of the squad at the club. He has 13 league goals in his three seasons at the club and has been in terrific form this season, scoring 11 and assisting eight goals in all competitions for his side.
Capable of playing as a winger as well, Diony is a genuine target man, who knows his way to goal even in difficult situations. He is a fierce striker of the ball and can thump goals in from long distances but is also adept at passing his way through the opposition ranks.
He has decent pace and loves to dribble past opponents but is yet to learn the art of holding on to the ball in the final third. He has to work on his upper strength along with his aerial ability but at 24, he will get better with more game time in his hand.
Joshua King has been in terrific form for the Cherries this season and has been their talisman. Benik Afobe and Callum Wilson have done their part in playing alongside King but Bournemouth might lose their star player, with a number of Premier Leauge clubs, short of attacking talent.
So it does not come as a surprise that Howe is already looking at a couple of strikers to add to his squad and reports today suggest that Diony is a genuine target for the Cherries this summer. The 24-year old is also wanted by the likes of Lille, AS Monaco and Nice in France, which shows his growing ability and surely, he will be a huge coup for Bournemouth.
Whether he will be a hit in the Premier Leauge is not an easy question to answer. He will take his time to adjust to the league but with age on his side, he can turn into a top class star in years to come.
