Bournemouth Opinion: Why the Cherries should go for Pape Cheikh Diop?
Pape Cheikh Diop has enjoyed a great season in the heart of Lyon’s midfield and has been a crucial cog of the club’s impressive performances in the Ligue 1 and recently-ended Champions League campaign.
The Senegalese, 21, joined Lyon from Celta Vigo in the summer of 2017 but has shone in his second season under the astute tactician Bruno Genesio. Given his impressive performances in midfield for the Ligue 1 giants, Bournemouth should plot a summer swoop for Pape Cheikh Diop.
Bournemouth started the 2018/19 campaign well but have lost their way slightly since December. Qualifying for Europe next season looks a bit tough now, given the form Wolves and Watford are in. But Eddie Howe’s men should fight tooth and nail until the final game of the season.
Howe has been credited for promoting youth and building an exciting Bournemouth team with the help of the youngsters.
Players like David Brooks, Nathan Ake and Lewis Cook have all thrived under Howe which has further polished the Cherries tactician’s credentials as a young, dynamic manager. Just like them, Lyon’s Diop would also benefit massively if an opportunity arrives to move to the Vitality Stadium.
It remains to be seen how look Cook will be out for after suffering a cruciate ligament injury earlier this season. Ligament injuries often tend to haunt back players, meaning the Bournemouth medical team has to take extra care of Cook before giving him the green signal to step on the pitch.
Given how important Cook has been for the team, his absence at the start of next season could be detrimental for Howe and co.
That’s why signing Diop would make sense for the Cherries. The Spain Under-21 international will add more energy and bite to the Bournemouth midfield when paired with Jefferson Lerma. The Dakar-born starlet is suited to a central midfield role due to his calmness and composure on the ball and ability to intercept attacks.
To go with his passing, he is also blessed with a good engine that rarely runs out of fuel, even in most competitive of fixtures. Diop isn’t known for being flashy on the ball and pull off stunners but he excels in keeping things tidy in the engine room that makes the team ticking over.
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Conclusion
Andrew Surman will turn 33 in August, hence replacing him with a young player this summer would make complete sense. Diop certainly could be that player for the Cherries and his youthful experience can work wonders for the team, helping Howe build a team for the future.
