Bournemouth have established themselves as a solid Premier League side in the last few years under Eddie Howe and the Cherries will like to now challenge for greater glory from next season onwards. They finished 12th in the Premier League and were safe from a relegation scare. The Cherries will like to improve upon further and for that, they are looking to bring in reinforcements to their squad. However, they were dealt a body blow recently as their £10m bid for Brentford defender Chris Mepham was rejected by the Bees.
The 20-year-old slowly went on to establish himself in the side in the latter half of the season as he managed 23 appearances in all competitions. The youngster has been at Brentford since 2012 and has slowly gone up the ranks from their youth academy. His initial playing days were with Chelsea and he was released by the London club when he was 14.
The Cherries were defensively fragile and they need to be more solid at the back if they want to continue their rise in the Premier League. Mepham’s rejection will certainly set them back and it remains to be seen whether they will make a more improved offer for the Welshman. The 20 year doesn’t have prior experience of playing in the Premier League so it might very well happen that £10m was the last offer from the Cherries. It seems clear that Brentford rates him highly and they want to keep the youngster at Griffin Park.
We look at three possible replacements Eddie Howe can go after as an alternative for the Brentford defender.
Ramiro Funes Mori
The Everton defender has failed to establish himself at Goodison Park since his move to the Merseyside club. He managed 6 appearances last term and his time was cut short due to injuries. He has got a good amount of experience though and before injuries, he even used to feature for Argentina. Now that he is back fit, Eddie Howe can move in for him.
Jack Stephens
The 24-year-old Saints defender could be a good option as well. He has got a good amount of experience in the Premier League and was one of the better players for Southampton last season as they came perilously close to relegation.
Read More: Bournemouth Place Celtic Defensive Star On The Top Of Their Shopping List: Should Howe Get Him?
Ben Gibson
The Middlesbrough defender was a mainstay at the back at Riverside stadium and was one of the crucial players for Tony Pulis. They qualified for the playoff but didn’t manage to go past Aston Villa. It is probably the right time now for the Englishman to play in the top division and Eddie Howe should consider moving in for him.
