Premier League Club-By-Club Predictions: Can Bournemouth contend for Europe? Or will the losses of Kerkez and Huijsen set them back?

2024-25 saw Bournemouth gain positions in the Premier League table for the second consecutive season since they returned to the Premier League in 2022-23. Could further gains see them enter European contention? 

(Image Credit to Premier League/ Getty Images for Premier League)

We all know that Liverpool, Manchester City, and Arsenal are locks to secure European spots via the Premier League. The likes of Newcastle and Chelsea aren’t far behind, with Aston Villa also seeing themselves as players in the European fight.

Bournemouth? While many people might not see them as potential European contenders, we did see Nottingham Forest surge up the table into European contention in last season’s Premier League. 

And if key players can continue to produce, who knows what could happen.

This is the third club-focused preview ahead of the 2025-26 Premier League season.

What Noah says:

Despite the Cherries’ previous shock pre-season managerial change and loss of key talent like Dominic Solanke, the team not only improved on their twelfth-place finish from 2023-24, but they also broke into the top half of the table. 

Naturally, the next step for this Cherries squad is contending for Europe, and their fixture list does play a role in their hopes. While Liverpool and Manchester City await in their first ten games, they also have a match against Nottingham Forest, who finished in the Europa Conference League place, nestled into their early-season stretch. That October 25th encounter will be critical not only in terms of positioning, but also in the club’s hopes of putting early points on the board. 

In their next ten games, Bournemouth also have to play games that will be critical for positioning over European rivals, which come in the form of an away game against Aston Villa and two matches against Chelsea. They also kick off the 2026 portion of their schedule with a home game against Arsenal. 

January and February’s slate includes a rematch with both Aston Villa and Liverpool, while Bournemouth only have to contend with two matches against top-four teams in March and April. 

With key players like Antoine Semenyo and Justin Kluivert locked into a position with the club for this season, Bournemouth could shine with the skill and experience their young roster now possesses. And with Andoni Iraola once again the manager, I could easily see another top ten finish being the floor for Bournemouth this season. 

That said, the loss of Milos Kerkez to Liverpool and Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid will sting, especially if the Cherries are looking to fight for Europe. Even then, I do see Bournemouth as the side most likely to break out and move up the table significantly this season; I have them fighting for a top-seven finish and a European position. 

Projected finish: 8th

Ellie: 

Bournemouth have arguably the hardest start to the new season, playing favourites Liverpool away, and Iraola will have to ensure his team is up for such a challenge. Losing their starting defender, Huijsen, over the summer will create a large gap in defence that they must fill to have any shot at breaking into the top half of the league again this season. 

They then have some easier and medium-level games that will test their weaknesses and show the promise the squad has for future seasons. Going into the new year, Liverpool at home will be a difficult game. They also have a difficult run again toward the end of the season, where they face Arsenal and Newcastle back-to-back away from home.

Projected finish: 9th

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Article written by Noah Guttman and Ellie Swain