Over a week has passed since Italian side Udinese announced the pre-contract signing of AFC Bournemouth left-back Jordan Zemura.
Zemura has opted to end his AFC Bournemouth career and join Italian side Udinese for the 2023/24 campaign, signing a contract until the summer of 2027. The deal comes following a complete breakdown in communication with the Cherries, with Zemura at first left out of the match day squad and now no longer training at all with the first team.
As early as October 2021, frustrations over both Zemura and Jaidon Anthony not signing new contracts had started to grow with then AFC Bournemouth head coach Scott Parker demanding that new contracts were either agreed upon immediately or talks postponed indefinitely.
Their contracts were set to expire at the end of the 2021/22 season, but following promotion to the Premier League and despite failing to agree on new terms, the Cherries opted to trigger a clause in the pair’s deal that would extend their contracts for another calendar year.
But whilst Anthony would go on to sign a new four-and-a-half-year contract to remain on the south coast, Zemura’s final contract offer wasn‘t even acknowledged by either Zemura or his representatives and the 23-year-old’s intentions to even hold talks with other clubs came without any forewarning.
To date, AFC Bournemouth have not commented on Zemura’s imminent departure.
Over recent years, Zemura and Anthony have become close friends on and off the pitch, on the pitch they both enjoyed their breakthrough campaigns during the Cherries Championship promotion season of 2021/22 and off the pitch have remained housemates.
Speaking to the Daily Echo, Anthony said…
“He’s a great guy.
“When I speak about him I’m smiling because without him, I don’t think I’d be in this position.
“I wish him all the best in his next chapter.”
Your say…
wimborne cherries said…
One of the most bizarre transfers I can remember for a while. Moving to a worse league for worse money for a worse team, truly odd. – To join the conversation, click here.