Will Bournemouth be able to convince 'warrior' Senesi to stay?

It feels inevitable that despite losing so many defenders last summer, Bournemouth's current key man at the heart of the backline will be heading out the door in a few months' time.

Marcos Senesi has been a warrior at the back ever since signing for the club in the summer of 2022. His stature on the south coast has only enhanced since then, particularly following the departures of fellow centre-backs Dean Huijsen and Illia Zabarnyi at the start of this season.

Sadly for the Cherries, Senesi has not signed a contract extension and will have plenty of suitors when it comes to its conclusion this summer, with the likes of Liverpool, Juventus and Barcelona already linked.

It is no surprise that the European elite are circling around the Argentine. He ranks second in clearances in the Premier League this season and is also ranked highly in terms of blocked shots by defenders. Plus, his passing stands out too, whether that be progressive, dangerous or simply with his accurate long-ball passing range which helps fuel Bournemouth's counter-attacking threat.

Fortunately for the Cherries, the emergence of James Hill has helped the defensive unit and there is plenty of excitement around teenage Serbian Veljko Milosavjlevic. The club also spent a fair chunk of money of French defender Bafode Diakite in the summer, although he has struggled to adapt - however, he is another one who the club will look to if Senesi were to depart.

Europe's elite may well be ready to pounce to grab Senesi on a free transfer, but there is no doubt Bournemouth will try their best to convince him to stay. Can the Cherries sell the project once more and keep hold of their Argentine? The fans will certainly hope so!

Find more from Sam Davis at Back of the Net, external