Bloody hell, Bournemouth are at it again! They're stepping up their interest in Amine Adli, and it could cause a right mess for Brentford and Newcastle. The Cherries are in talks with Bayer Leverkusen over a £26million deal for the player.
The beautiful game's transfer merry-go-round
If this deal goes through, it could be the key to unlocking Dango Ouattara's proposed transfer from Bournemouth to Brentford. The Bees and the Cherries have been in discussions over a move for the forward to leave the south coast and join the south west London club. But the deal is dependent on Andoni Iraola's team signing a replacement, which would be Adli.
This transfer could also have consequences up north. Newcastle want to sign Brentford striker Yoane Wissa this summer as a replacement for Callum Wilson. The Magpies hope to have Wissa wrapped up by the end of the week in a deal that would be around £35m.
Brentford initially told Newcastle that Wissa wasn't for sale, but they've softened their stance and are waiting to sign a replacement, which would be Ouattara.
The chain reaction
The whole chain starts with Newcastle wanting Wissa, with the Toon identifying the Bees striker as an option after missing out on Liam Delap and Joao Pedro. Wissa had a gentleman's agreement with Brentford to leave the club this summer after staying for one more year when Ivan Toney left.
But Brentford selling Bryan Mbeumo to Manchester United saw the deal initially blocked, leading to Wissa refusing to train with his teammates. At 28, the striker sees this move to St James' Park as a last chance to play Champions League football.
For that deal to happen, Brentford need a replacement. The man they want is Ouattara at Bournemouth and talks have been ongoing between the two clubs. Ouattara is mainly a left winger, but he can play on the right and through the middle as well.
But for any of these deals to happen, the Cherries need someone in for Ouattara as well. That man they've identified is Adli. The 25-year-old Moroccan international is another versatile player, being able to operate on either wing or in a central position.
Adli played a huge role in Leverkusen's remarkable Bundesliga-winning team during the 2023/24 season, playing 42 times in all competitions. He also directly contributed to 22 goals as the German side just missed out on being unbeaten for the whole season.
