Bournemouth is the big surprise of this Premier League start, and one of the Cherries' secrets is Alex Jimenez.
Second in the table with 18 points, four behind leaders Arsenal, thanks to a long positive run: after losing their opener to Liverpool, Andoni Iraola's team recorded eight consecutive positive results, leaving behind giants like the Reds, the two Manchester clubs, and Chelsea.
Semenyo, Kroupi, Kluivert, and Tavernier are among the key players in this surge, and Jimenez, who arrived at the end of last summer's transfer window, is also part of it. The 2005-born player needed only a few weeks to become a key figure for both the present and the future, as Bournemouth already plans long-term.
How is Alex Jimenez doing at Bournemouth?
Entering quietly is not Jimenez’s style, as seen at Milan. His impact at Bournemouth has been electric, writes Calcio Mercato.
The international break slowed his adaptation to English football, and Iraola only gave him a few minutes in his first chance, against Brighton in the fourth round, enough to pick up a yellow card immediately. The 20-year-old has remained intense, sometimes reckless, as shown by the two cards he received in the next matches against Newcastle and Leeds, both as a starter. This followed the card he got against Cremonese in his only appearance for Allegri’s Milan.
His intensity benefits the 'Cherries' and their coach, who now always rely on the Real Madrid youth player. He has played in all six Premier League matches available to him, always as a right-back to pair with Tavernier ahead of him. Even without assists, he remains important in attack.
Bournemouth plans to sign Alex Jimenez permanently:
His performances are convincing Bournemouth: Jimenez is not only a present-day asset but also a prospect for the future.
According to Matteo Moretto on Fabrizio Romano’s YouTube channel, the English club is already working on making the 2005-born player permanent, regardless of the terms agreed with Milan last summer.
How much did Milan earn from Alex Jimenez loan move to Bournemouth?
Milan and Bournemouth completed the deal in the last transfer window as a loan with a purchase option, which could become mandatory if certain conditions are met. The Rossoneri club earned around 2 million euros for the loan, plus there is another 18 million euros fee for the purchase and 5 million euros in terms of bonuses. In other words, if the permanent transfer goes through, Milan will receive just over 20 million euros for the former Real Madrid player.
Regarding Real Madrid, however, Jimenez remains linked to them, which retains control of the player with a buyback clause agreed when he moved to Milan.
Once Bournemouth owns the Spanish player’s rights, though, Real Madrid will lose economic control over him.
