Loïc Badé snubs Bournemouth despite €30m offer

Sevilla defender Loïc Badé has turned down a move to Premier League side Bournemouth, despite the English club reaching a €30 million agreement with the Spanish outfit. 

The 24-year-old centre-back declined personal terms, forcing Bournemouth to look elsewhere for defensive reinforcements. 

Badé’s decision opens the door for other interested clubs, including Sunderland and Bundesliga giants Bayer Leverkusen, who are reportedly preparing their own offers.

Badé, who joined Sevilla permanently from Rennes in January 2023 after a successful loan spell, has since established himself as a key figure in La Liga. 

His impressive performances earned him a contract extension through 2029 and a senior call-up to the French national team by Didier Deschamps. He featured in France’s 2-0 victory over Germany, cementing his rise in European football.

The Frenchman’s decision comes as a blow to Bournemouth, who are desperate for defensive cover after losing Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid and with Ilya Zabarnyi expected to join Paris Saint-Germain. 

Despite having agreed on a transfer fee with Sevilla, Bournemouth now find themselves back in the market with time running out before the Premier League season kicks off.

Bayer Leverkusen have emerged as frontrunners to sign Badé, particularly due to their Champions League qualification. 

The German side recently lost key defender Jonathan Tah and have already secured Liverpool’s Jarell Quansah, but are still looking to reinforce their backline. 

With European football on offer, Leverkusen may hold the upper hand in convincing Badé to make the switch.

Sunderland, meanwhile, remain hopeful of pulling off an ambitious transfer. Sporting director Florent Ghisolfi is reportedly eager to reunite with Badé, having worked with him at Lens. 

The Championship club has already completed eight signings this summer and is actively targeting further reinforcements, including defender Jhon Lucumí from Bologna and a loan deal for Chelsea striker Marc Guiu.

As the new season looms, Sevilla are pushing to finalise Badé’s departure. Though Bournemouth’s approach was rejected, the Spanish club hopes that other suitors will meet their €30 million valuation.