AFC Bournemouth have lost first-team coach Graeme Jones from the coaching staff at Dean Court following his move to Premier League side Newcastle United.
Jones only joined the Cherries four months ago when the former Luton Town manager joined newly appointed AFC Bournemouth manager Jason Tindall’s backroom staff alongside Stephen Purches, who had been announced as assistant manager.
Alex Crook from talkSPORT tweeted that AFC Bournemouth would be due a six-figure fee following Jones’ switch to Newcastle.
As per @kristemple Graeme Jones is set to complete his move to #NUFC today #AFCB entitled to six-figure compensation.
— Alex Crook ⚽️🎙 (@alex_crook) January 25, 2021
🍒 CONFIRMED: #AFCB first team coach Graeme Jones has been confirmed in his new role, as part of Steve Bruce’s coaching team at Newcastle. #nufc pic.twitter.com/0q7huLDAFu
— Kris Temple (@kristemple) January 27, 2021
🗣️ ''I know what Newcastle means to him and it was very difficult for him to turn it down''@afcbournemouth boss Jason Tindall reflects on the departure of 1st team coach Graeme Jones #afcb 🍒 pic.twitter.com/nDV6l3HMvl
— BBC Radio Solent Sport (@solentsport) January 27, 2021
Also heading north, albeit slightly further north than Newcastle are AFC Bournemouth youngsters Jack Simpson and Nnamdi Ofoborh.
AFC Bournemouth had previously accepted an offer of £750,000 from Cardiff City for Cherries centre back Jack Simpson, however, it would appear he has rejected that transfer move in favour of signing for Scottish Premiership champions-elect Rangers.
24-year-old Simpson is out-of-contract at Dean Court at the end of the 2020/21 season, leaving him open to discuss a free transfer in the summer.
Simpson has made 35 appearances in three-and-a-half years at Dean Court, including 12 league starts.
Simpson could be joined at Ibrox with Cherries midfielder Ofoborh.
The 21-year-old is also out-of-contract at Dean Court this summer and has failed to make any impression at Dean Court after returning to the squad following a season on-loan with Wycombe Wanderers during their play-off winning season in League One.
Ofoborh has made just five appearances for the Cherries this season, he is yet to start a league fixture for AFC Bournemouth and only made 7 for Wycombe in the third tier of English football.
AFC Bournemouth manager Jason Tindall told the Daily Echo that Rangers manager Steven Gerrard made contact with the Cherries last week regarding the pair.
Nothing as yet has been finalised and Tindall has not ruled out the duo leaving before the end of the January transfer window, in an update to the Daily Echo, he said…
“Obviously the Rangers thing is still going on. I think Jack’s made his mind up in terms of that’s where he wants to go and play his football.
“I think that one is pretty much going to happen. Nnamdi I think is in a similar position…”
“…(leaving before the summer is) a possibility. It’s something that has happened in the past 24-48 hours in a sense of how quickly that’s moved on.
“What happens in the next 24-48 hours, who knows? It’s football, things move very quickly but it’s something that’s obviously not completely in our control.
“But if they do (come in earlier) and there’s an opportunity there, then I’m sure we will look at it.”
Your say…
DJ asked…
Bit part unproven youngsters who haven’t pulled up trees in the second tier of English football being targets for the runaway leaders of the Scottish league.
Does that show the real level of our youth team system or Scottish football?
paul49 said…
The real improvement in the quality now coming through our Academy stems from the great strides we have made as a football club in the last six or seven years.
When we were in league two we would be scouting 14 to 16-year-olds who we saw developing at a lower league 1/2 level.
When we became Championship/ Premier League we had to change our focus and scout young lads from top-end premiership teams but even that was initially a problem as Academy wise we could only offer regular games against west country academy teams.
So we had to offer another incentive with educational links with Leaf Academy and Brockenhurst College with the lads being well looked after with host families. Also, opportunities to be loaned out to clubs at various levels of the football pyramid.
Joe Roach has done amazing work in establishing our Academy. – Join the conversation, click here.
