Benik Afobe could be a key signing for Bournemouth

Wolves striker Benik Afobe looks set for a move to Premier League Bournemouth

According to Sky Sports, Bournemouth has agreed a £10million fee with Championship Wolves for striker Benik Afobe.

The former-Arsenal youngster has been prolific in the second tier and now looks set for a return to the top-flight with the Cherries.

He is reportedly due to have a medical at the Dorset club.

Afobe’s form for Wolves is believed to have attracted interest from a number of other Premier League clubs, including Norwich City. However it seems Bournemouth are the favourites to sign the striker.

In need of a spearhead

Like a lot of the teams in the bottom half of the Premier League, Bournemouth currently look like they are currently lacking a goal threat. The Cherries play some very attractive football and have not changed their style since last season when they were promoted.

The difference between this season and last is that Cherries boss Eddie Howe has for much of the season not been able to call upon the services of star striker Callum Wilson, who looks set to miss the majority of the campaign.

The Cherries have the likes of Glenn Murray and Joshua King, who have done a decent job, but the side from Dorset are in need of an out-and-out striker to spearhead their attack.

They need a poacher who can apply the finishing touch to the good football the team plays at times. They have struggled to be prolific in front of goal and Howe will know they need that ruthless finisher to get clear of the relegation zone.

Howe’s side have looked far more defensively solid in recent months, but it is that elusive finisher that is their priority in the winter transfer window.

A man in-demand

A number of Premier League clubs could do with a player that is as capable in front of goal as Afobe. At 22-years-old he is also a player that still has a lot of scope for improvement, but if he gets service the youngster will find the net on a regular basis.

The striker has a very good scoring record for Wolves, finding the net 23 times in 48 Championship appearances for Kenny Jackett’s team.

There must be a number of clubs in, or near the Premier League relegation zone showing an interest in the striker. The likes of Norwich, Aston Villa, Newcastle and Swansea have all been linked with January moves for strikers, because they are simply not scoring enough goals in the top-flight.

All those clubs could do a lot worse than make a move for Afobe in January. Norwich were reported to have had a £8million bid rejected for the striker in the summer. The Canaries could renew that interest in the winter transfer window.

Bournemouth and Afobe could be a perfect fit though. Wilson was maybe the key player in keeping the Cherries in the Premier League. Now Afobe could just play that role for Howe’s team.

January transfer window key to survival

Bournemouth has more than held their own this season in the top-flight. The Cherries are now odds of 11/2 to be relegated to the Championship this season. For me Eddie Howe’s team should have enough to avoid the drop this season.

However the January transfer window could be the key to Bournemouth making sure they are safe from the drop. They have already agreed to sign highly-rated attacking midfielder Juan Iturbe on-loan from Roma and are just waiting for international clearance for the former-Porto player.

No doubt Bournemouth’s rivals for Premier League survival will be strengthening their squads in January in a desperate bid to add quality, so the Cherries will likely follow suit.

The Dorset outfit have suffered terribly through long-term injuries this season, yet are still looking fairly comfortable in the top-flight. They have shown lots of ambition in recent transfer windows, as I alluded to in a recent article, and they deserve to get the reward for that ambition.

For me the addition of another striker could well be the factor that consolidates the Cherries top-flight status this season. Benik Afobe could well be that extra forward the Cherries need to ensure their top-flight status this season.

Will Benik Afobe be a good signing for Bournemouth?