The last time Bournemouth lost a few important defenders in the same transfer window, the year was 2011 and Rhoys Wiggins and Jason Pearce left for the sunny climates of Charlton and Portsmouth.
This summer it was Milos Kerkez, Illia Zabarnyi and Dean Huijsen from the starting door – with their movements to Liverpool, Paris Saint -Germain and Real Madrid who brought in a cool £ 150 million between them.
With all due respect for Messrs Wiggins and Pearce, we tell us a lot about how the cherries have navigated the intervening 14 years. Their transfer costs were not announced, but I suspect that they did not have nine figures.
The secret of a successful football club in 2025 – at least for people without a friendly sheik in the boardroom – does not hold on to a core of players or produces a few Academy, but recycling through without a second thought. Buy cheap, sale high. Rinse and repeat.
Few clubs have cracked the code better than Bournemouth. And although it is a bit early to explain Adrien Truffert the heir to Kerkez or Bafode Diakite as well as Zabarnyi, the early signs are promising. And to be honest, Bournemouth does not sign Duds.
Truffert pulled the eye, even in the defeat in Liverpool during the opening evening, so there was a lot of expectations around the new left to the left of the cherries for their collision with wolves on Saturday. Well, luckily, the Frenchman made an impression here again.
Truffert looked a constant threat in the future and connected well with Antoine Semenyo, on the left flank instead of his usual right.
The 23-year-old has already yielded a reputation for having a brilliant left foot and won an angle early after he had ramed the left side in the opening phase.
Bournemouth opened the score after just four minutes with a classic 'Andoni Iraola' high-penetrating goal. Wolves midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde lost possession in his own half and Bournemouth jumped in, Marcus Tavernier enjoyed a bit of happiness when his effort remained off Emmanuel Aggbadou.
Note, however, the goal, and you will notice that Left Back Truffert is just behind Tavernier in the Wolves Box, after you have made an arrow. Truffert helped to block the path of defender Ki -Jana however – if he had not been so advanced, he might have fascinated Tavernier.
Full ridges of the Kerkez fungus attacks are vital for the energetic system of Iraola, resulting in overloads and facilitating wave after wave of attacks with their side in half of the opposition.
Center Back Diakite, an addition of £ 34 million from Lille, may have to wait until his contributions are just as exciting as Truffert's. But this was a very solid first start for him in vitality.
The France Youth International looked strong and capable of the ball, although one or two early nervy moments suggested that the intensity of the Premier League could get used to. He ended the game with a transient accuracy of 95.7 percent.
The 1-0 victory of Bournemouth was helped by sending Toti early in the second half, after he had pushed Evanilson to the Brazilian on goal. But for a much-changed back-four to keep a clean sheet in only their second game together, there is still a large spring in their PET, especially with the playing style of Bournemouth.
More generally, the cherries are a brilliant example for other clubs in the PSR era, while parties such as Newcastle and Everton continue to pay a premium for Premier League players and run against the financial regulations. And for a team like Leicester, the lesson about the importance of cashing in your biggest assets may have been a little too late.
Bournemouth does a lot of their shopping in the Ligue 1 of France, where the well of talent is endless, but the financial uncertainty of clubs means that bargains are not difficult to find. It helps that they have a relationship with sister club Lorient – also part of Bill Foley's Black Knight Group – with whom they share a scout network.
Tiago Pinto, a highly respected operator, has the elevated title 'President of Football Operations' and is on top of a recruitment structure that places a serious emphasis on data. They also have a lot of poaching with top young talent from the football competition. The jewel in their crown is Semenyo, taken from Bristol City for £ 10 million in 2023 and now worth six times as much.
Amine Adli, a large money addition from Bayer Leverkusen, and Eli Kroupi, top scorer in Ligue 2 last season, debuted from the bank against Wolves. The hope in the club is very high for the 19-year-old Kroupi, while wing player Adli sometimes spinning the home fans here.
Combined with a coach of the talents of Iraola, it all provides an exciting mix. But you will not achieve much in the Premier League without a solid foundation and based on the victory over Wolves, that is exactly what the cherries have.
Kerkez is going? You bring truffle inside. Zabarnyi too? We have a Diakite. The players leave but there is no drop-off. Bournemouth keeps Masters of the transfer market – and some other teams in the top flight really have to take note.