Transfer Story
According to Sky Sports, Bournemouth are on the verge of signing Jefferson Lerma from Levante. The Premier League outfit have revived their interest in the Colombian international after initially being rebuffed in their attempts to sign him earlier this summer.
Sky Sports claim that the midfielder has handed in a transfer request at Levante in order to seal a move away from Estadi Ciutat de Valencia. The Cherries are ready to splurge £27 million – which could make him the most expensive signing in the club’s history.
Player stats and attributes
Lerma initially moved to Europe back in the summer of 2015, when he made a season-long loan move Levante from his native domestic side Atletico Huila. Following an impressive season, his move was immediately made permanent by the Spanish outfit for a deal worth only £540k.
During his three-year spell with Levante, the Colombian made almost 100 appearances in all competition, going on to become one of the more prominent figures in the first team.
Last season, the midfielder made 26 appearances as Levante finished 15th in the final league standings. His performances earned him a call-up to the national side back in November 2017 and he was subsequently included in Colombia squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup earlier this summer.
Lerma is a midfield enforcer who prevails in making well-timed tackles or giving away a tactical foul. Additionally, he is also a remarkable man-marker, whose relentless attitude often helps him dominate the opposing midfield.
His qualities in midfield were clearly evident as he attempted an average of 3 tackles per game whilst making almost 2 interceptions.
Why do Bournemouth need Jefferson Lerma?
Although manager Eddie Howe is certainly not devoid of options as far as his midfield department is concerned, it’s only natural to fear that the current crop of midfielder won’t be able to live up to Premier League’s growing quality.
In addition, Andrew Surman has already entered the final phase of his career while Harry Arter has failed to establish himself as a regular fixture in the starting lineup. As a result, Lewis Cook and Dan Gosling remain Howe’s only two reliable options in midfield, meaning the Cherries could be in dire need of a top quality midfielder this summer.
Thus, Jefferson Lerma is indeed a good option for Bournemouth. His impressive tackling qualities coupled with his physical presence are ideally suited to Premier League football, making the 23-year-old an ideal fit as the Cherries look to make an impression in the English top flight next season.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored