Read our 2026/27 season preview for Bournemouth as the Cherries prepare for their first season in Europe whilst dealing with the departure of Andoni Iraola.
Bournemouth celebrated their best-ever Premier League finish in 2025/26, embarking on an 18-game unbeaten run to close out the campaign and ultimately finishing sixth.
Iraola's achievements did not go unnoticed, and the Spaniard has since departed the Vitality Stadium to take over at Liverpool, with Marco Rose tasked with building on the most successful season in the club's history.
Key Question
How can Marco Rose possibly live up to Andoni Iraola?
In their ascent up the football pyramid over the course of the last 18 years Bournemouth have been characterised by their calculated recruitment, both with players on the pitch and members of the coaching staff.
The appointment of Andoni Iraola - who had relatively limited top-level experience in the dugout at that stage - ultimately proved to be a masterstroke as the Basque manager left an indelible mark on the Vitality Stadium over the course of his three years in charge.
Even a cursory glance at Bournemouth's squad and tactics reveals the extent of the influence Iraola exerted throughout his reign.
Now, Marco Rose not only has to try and adapt to English football for the first time but also has to live up to a head coach that managed to write his name in club folklore.
The 49-year-old brings with him an impressive managerial pedigree across multiple clubs in his native Germany, including spells at both Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig - winning the DFB-Pokal with the latter in 2023.
Many experienced managers have struggled to adapt to Premier League however, and with the weight of expectations Rose will need to make an immediate impression in order to step out from Iraola's shadow on the south coast.
Key transfer
Antonio Silva
Just a few short years ago it would have seemed unfathomable that Antonio Silva would sign for a team like Bournemouth.
In a breakthrough 2022-23 campaign with boyhood club Benfica, Silva had announced himself as one of the most promising young defenders in world football.
His performances at the heart of As Aguias' defence received widespread recognition and saw him fast-tracked into Portugal's senior team just weeks after making his debut for the under-21s.
Silva would go on to become the youngest player ever to represent Portugal at a World Cup while serving as an integral component to Benfica's title-winning success that season, leading to reported interest from both Real Madrid and Liverpool in the then-teenager.
In subsequent campaigns the centre-back struggled to replicate his incredible breakthrough form but he was solid last season and the £26million Bournemouth paid for him this summer will look like a pittance if Marco Rose is able to get the best out of him.
At just 22 Silva has time on his side and could prove to be one of the best signings of the transfer window if he is able to get back to his best in the heart of defence.
Breakout Star
Veljko Milosavljevic
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William Dobbie
The last 12 months have been a whirlwind for Veljko Milosavljevic.
Departing his beloved Red Star Belgrade at the age of 18 to join Bournemouth in a £13 million deal, Milosavljevic became the Cherries’ youngest Premier League debutant and his exploits in England’s top-flight resulted in a senior Serbia call-up.
Injury curtailed his 2025/26 campaign, and the prodigious defender was forced to accept an observational role as Marcos Senesi and James Hill flourished at the heart of Andoni Iraola’s defence.
Now Senesi has departed, Milosavljevic has all the attributes to cement himself as a first-team regular under new Cherries boss Marco Rose.
A towering centre-back by trade, the 19-year-old is adept at playing right-back and possesses the ball-playing qualities to even step into midfield if required.
Named in the prestigious Golden Boy’s top 100 alongside Cherries team-mates Rayan and Eli Junior Kroupi, Milosavljevic is a key part of Bournemouth’s prosperous long-term future.
What is a good season?
Consolidating top-half status
Given their incredible run to close out last season Bournemouth fans would be forgiven for thinking that the good times will never end at the Vitality Stadium.
After all, for many clubs losing their key player and top scorer in January would derail all ambitions, particularly in the midst of a difficult run of form.
However, Bournemouth were remarkably unphased by talisman Antoine Semenyo leaving to join Manchester City, with the burgeoning duo of Rayan and Eli Junior Kroupi subsequently picking up the slack on the goalscoring front.
While their performances over the second half of last season were hugely impressive, a change as significant as the manager departing following three years in charge is bound to have an impact on the club as they prepare for their first season in Europe.
Determining how much resources to allocate on their continental campaign versus the domestic season has been something multiple clubs that have found themselves in Bournemouth's position have grappled with ever since more teams outside the traditional 'Big Six' have secured European berths.
Progressing in the Europa League will likely come to the detriment of their Premier League ambitions but managing to secure a third successive top half finish in the top flight for the first time in the club's history would represent an unqualified success.
Bold prediction
To reach semi-finals of Europa League
By finishing sixth last season the Cherries earned a place in the UEFA Europa league where they will be joined by some of the most iconic teams in European football, including the likes of Juventus, AC Milan and Bayer Leverkusen.
What would have been almost impossible to believe mere years ago is now reality at the club, with some bona-fide European heavyweights in line to make the trip to the Vitality Stadium.
While they may not have the pedigree of some of their contemporaries in the competition Bournemouth have the players at their disposal to be a real threat.
The successes of both Crystal Palace and Aston Villa in European competitions last season should serve as a benchmark for Bournemouth as they embark on what will no doubt be an adventure of a lifetime for supporters.
But Bournemouth are not only in the competition to take part.
Based on the most recent Deloitte Football Money League figures the club has a higher revenue than the likes of Real Sociedad, Union Saint-Gilloise and Olympiacos - all of whom are seeded higher than them.
The club will be anxiously awaiting the draw for the league phase at the end of this month and they should have every confidence that they can go all the way with the 2027 final at the Waldstadion in Frankfurt fast approaching.
Will they be better than last season?
No!
In terms of league performance the 2025/26 season was the most successful campaign in AFC Bournemouth's 124-year history.
After enduring some growing pains in the early part of his reign Andoni Iraola had established his team as incredibly difficult to beat and came within touching distance of securing Champions League football, a concept that was unfathomable even as recently as the club's first stint in the top flight.
The last time a long-standing head coach departed the club was back in August 2020 when Eddie Howe stepped down after eight years in charge.
While the Cherries would ultimately secure a return to the top flight under Scott Parker, they first endured a frustrating season 2020-21 season where they were unable to live up to expectations.
Similarly, the club could well find themselves in a transitional period this season.
And while Marco Rose could definitely work out in a way that Jason Tindall and subsequently Jonathan Woodgate didn't, the German will likely need time to put his stamp on things on the south coast.
With a 50-game campaign ahead of them, Bournemouth's squad - while rich in talent - will likely be stretched thin and they would be wise to pick their spots over the course of the next twelve months.
