Bournemouth's European Tour Awaits: Season Preview
Bournemouth enter the 2026/27 campaign on the back of their most successful season in history, finishing sixth in the Premier League with 57 points. The team will play Europa League football for the first time ever.
What Happened?
Bournemouth's 2025/26 campaign can be broken down into three distinct phases. There was uncertainty for the south coast club last summer after the sale of three members of their first-choice back four. A 4-2 opening day defeat to Liverpool demonstrated that the team was not destined to drop off a cliff, and they then picked up 18 points from a possible 24. By the end of October, only Arsenal were above the team in the league table.
Why It Matters for Bournemouth
Defeats to Manchester City and Aston Villa brought the group back down to earth, and they failed to win another league match in 2025. Two draws with Chelsea, and a 4-4 thriller against Manchester United, indicated the camp was competitive. But European qualification seemed to be a lost dream. Then, top scorer Antoine Semenyo set sail for City after being the matchwinner against Tottenham to stop the rot, but Bournemouth were not beaten down. The side stayed undefeated in their last 18 league matches, the longest unbeaten streak in the division last season, and their record-breaking run produced a sixth-placed finish.
Transfer Activity
Bournemouth have been active in the transfer market this summer, seeing three new arrivals with more expected before deadline day at the end of the month. The first player through the door was Uruguayan striker Alvaro Rodriguez from Elche for a deal in the region of £25m. Antonio Silva came next, joining from Benfica. He will bolster the backline after three key centre halves have left in the last year in the form of Dean Huijsen, Illia Zabarnyi, and Marcos Senesi.
What Comes Next?
The biggest challenge for the Cherries ahead of the new season will be juggling squad rotation with an increased schedule of Thursday and Sunday games. Bournemouth's latest arrival, Juanlu Sanchez, will compete with Adam Smith for a spot in the starting eleven. Others such as Luis Sinisterra and Enes Unal have left on permanent transfers, while Hamed Traore, Romain Faivre, and Alex Jimenez have been sent out on loan. One to watch is Rayan, who has made a significant impact since joining the club in January.
Recent Form
Bournemouth's recent form has been impressive, with an unbeaten run in their last five matches. They have taken 10 points from a possible 15, with a draw against Nottingham Forest on May 24 being their most recent result. League standing (final 2025 table -- new season not yet under way): 6th in Premier League, 57 pts, 13W-18D-7L from 38 games, recent form DDWWD. Goals this season: 58 scored, 54 conceded (+4 goal difference). Title race: 28 points behind leaders Arsenal.
