Bournemouth agree deal before transfer window opens for debut of Wayne Rooney's wonderkid

Bournemouth will have at least one new addition to their squad at the end of January.

the cherries have reached a £1 million deal with D.C. United For defender Matai Akinmboni, 18, who will fly to the United Kingdom in the next 24 hours, he will undergo a medical examination.

one of the MLSA leader of young talent, Akimboni has attracted interest from a host of European clubs after impressing in the United States.

And with the January transfer window opening tomorrow, the impending deal would likely make the US under-19 star their first arrival, with Bournemouth moving quickly to secure his services.

Seen as a player with a big future, it is hoped Akinmboni can provide cover in the second half of the season as the Cherries look to build on their good start.

Since he gave him his debut at DC United Wayne Rooney Only 15 years old in 2022, the young man has accumulated a lot of experience.

Last season, he made 13 appearances in all competitions, despite only turning 18 when the campaign came to an end in October.

It was Akinmboni's appearances that led several clubs to look at him as a possible signing for 2025.

And it's fair to say he comes highly recommended, with Rooney speaking in glowing terms about the budding star after becoming the third-youngest player in MLS history when he made his senior debut.

Giving him his first start for DC, the Manchester United legend said: “I think I am a man of my word.

“What I told the players when I came in was: 'If you perform well in training, you will have the opportunity to play.'

“He (Akinmboni) has been excellent in training and deserved to come in.”

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With Akinmboni helping to keep a clean sheet on his debut, playing in the first half of a 0-0 draw against Real Salt Lake, Rooney predicted a bright future for him.

He added: “I felt like he was ready to come in and play. Is he going to play every game? Of course not. He's still a very young kid.”

“But for him and for us to see him play an away game in difficult circumstances and perform like he did when he was 15, he has a very bright future.

“I got everything I wanted out of the 45 minutes he played tonight that I wanted to see.

“I will continue to try to develop him as a player and hope to see more of him this season and in the years to come.”

And the former England hero's prediction now appears to be coming true, with Akinmboni set to try Premier League football.

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But things could have been different: the American reportedly spent two weeks training with Bayern Munich in 2021, before choosing to reject his contract offer.

And a move to the Bundesliga would have made Akinmboni the second member of his family to play for the German giants.

His uncle is former Ghana international Samuel Kuffour, who spent 12 years at Bayern between 1993 and 2005, and played in the 1999 Champions League final defeat to Man United.

But with Bournemouth flying high in seventh place in the Premier League table, Akinmboni will be hoping to become the latest member of his family to experience European football, as he looks to help Andoni Iraola's side improve their position in the coming months. .