Benik Tunani Afobe’s long journey to Bournemouth and the Premier League

Benik Tunani Afobe’s long journey to Bournemouth and the Premier League

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Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe broke the bank to bring him to the south coast. But who is Benik Tunani Afobe and how has he managed to play for nine clubs in six years?

Afobe is a girthy striker. Standing six feet,  he game revolves around an ability to shield the ball and the use of his deceiving balance to get the drop of relaxed defenders.

Signed by Howe for a club record fee of £10 million, the new hitman was thrown right into the mix, starting in their 3-1 defeat to West Ham and scoring a game later in their 3-0 win over Norwich City. After the triumph, Afobe addressed the press.

“It was unbelievable, words can’t describe it….I’ve dreamed about that since I was a little boy, my first Premier League win and goal, so I’m delighted,” Afobe said.

“I’ve had to work my way up and have had injuries and unsuccessful loans but I’m here now and I’m hoping to build on that.”

Afobe has represented England all the way from under 16 to under 21 levels and was an integral part of England’s 2010 UEFA European under 17 Championship win. Afobe would be selected in the ‘team of the tournament’, alongside names like Paul Pogba, Ross Barkley and Jack Butland.

On Arsenal’s books since the age of six – after being spotted by a scout playing Sunday league football – his time in North London he was prolific, scoring 40 goals in his under 16 season and being named the under 18 player of the year.

After signing a senior contract with the Gunners at the age of 17, Afobe began on the loan circuit. A common process, whereby the bigger clubs loan out their talent to the lower league sides to keep their match fitness up and to blood them against some of the more rough and ready teams in England.

Afobe’s first loan was out to Huddersfield Town, where he managed to claim four consecutive ‘man of the match’ awards. His next loan, out to Reading, was less eventful. He struggled for game time in a team that would go on to clinch the League Championship.

After a goalless stay at Reading, Afobe moved on to Bolton Wanderers on a year-long deal. On a poor run of form Bolton dissolved his contract and he returned to Arsenal – for a week – before being shipped off to Millwall for the remainder of the season. A month later they too dissolved Afobe’s contract, due to a crippling knee injury he had sustained.

After his recovery, it was off to Sheffield Wednesday. In true nomadic fashion, Afobe already had a new club by the very next season in Wimbledon outfit, MK Dons. It was at MK Dons that Afobe’s scoring really started to pick up, recording 10 goals in 22 appearances, including a brace against Manchester United in the Carling Cup.

Impressive with his displays as a loanee player, Wolverhampton head coach Kenny Jackett signed Afobe for a nominal fee of £2 million. Over the course of the next calendar year, he would score 22 goals in 46 appearances for the Wolves. Turning him from an exciting prospect, into a household name around England’s West Midlands.

“Once he knew of Bournemouth’s interest and knew they were making a significant bid then again he expressed his desire to move on… It’s with reluctance we accept the offer,” said Wolves boss Jacket.

Twenty-two-years-old and now finally playing in the Premier League under the generalship of Eddie Howe, Afobe brings with him a level of experience beyond his years. His drive and ability to persevere has been praised by former boss Arsene Wenger who, when Afobe signed for Bournemouth, addressed the media.

“He has the qualities to integrate into a team like Bournemouth, whose game is based on movement, pace and quick football… I must say I am very happy for Benik because he had an outstanding attitude here and I am very pleased he has done well,” Wenger said.

“It is a good opportunity for him and I hope he will be successful there. Sometimes you have to let people go who are not completely ready for us, knowing that they could be successful. I am very happy because we have contributed to his success and I hope he will have a long, good career.”

Under Howe, Afobe will likely be given the chance to flourish in the Premier League – the Bournemouth manager already making it clear that the Englishman commands the starting position ahead of Lewis Grabban and Glenn Murray.

“As a Premier League team, we need firepower, we need players who can come in and do the job we want… He will bring pace, strength and goals hopefully,” Howe said.

The real question now is whether or not he can do enough between now and the return of injured talisman, Callum Wilson, to reserve his future place in the first team.

“He is strong, you just look at him and know he is going to be a handful, but he has good technique. I am excited by that because I think there is a lot of potential in him.”

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