LERMA: BOOK ME IN FOR THE ROUGH STUFF
MAJOR INS: Diego Rico (Leganes) £10.7m, David Brooks (Sheff Utd) Undisclosed. MAJOR OUTS: Max Gradel (Toulouse) Undisclosed, Benik Afobe (Wolves £10m), Lewis Grabban (Nottingham Forest) Undisclosed, Adam Federici (Stoke) Undisclosed. NEED IN: A record deal for £26.8m Levante defender Jefferson Lerma has set the Cherries up for the season. They could spend £10m on Brentford defender Chris Mepham.
YELLOW peril Jefferson Lerma clocked on for duty as Bournemouth’s record buy – and said he can’t wait to get stuck in at the Vitality Stadium.
Ten years to the day since the Cherries were clobbered with a 17-point deduction in League Two for failing to meet the terms of exiting administration, Colombia star Lerma hooked up with his new team-mates as a £25million signing.
The 23-year-old picked up a staggering 18 yellow cards for Levante in Spain last season, 16 of them in La Liga.
But the combative midfielder, who played against England in the dramatic World Cup last-16 tie settled by penalties in Moscow, insists he is ready for the all-action nature of Premier League football.
Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe preaches a high-tempo approach and Lerma (below) told the club website: “I have always loved the Premier League style and I am very happy to have this opportunity.
“The transfer has been very long because it took time for the clubs to reach an agreement.
“But the important thing is that I am here now and everyone got what they wanted.
“I am looking forward to success and doing important things for this club.”
Lerma, who has signed a five-year deal, is the Cherries’ third major summer signing following Howe’s capture of David Brooks from Sheffield United and full-back Diego Rico from Leganes.
The Lerma deal smashed the £20m fee Bournemouth paid Chelsea for defender Nathan Ake 12 months ago.
They open their fourth top-flight campaign at home to promoted Cardiff on Saturday.