Bournemouth's Julio Soler lined up as Sporting's summer transfer Plan B

Bournemouth are 13th in the 2026 Premier League after one match, with 0 points from a 2-1 defeat and a record of 0 wins, 0 draws and 1 loss. Away from that start, defender Julio Soler had been prepared as a possible summer move for Sporting but remained at the English club.

Sporting viewed the Argentine as an alternative for the left side of defence after Ricardo Mangas left. Their recruitment department had already marked Soler as a suitable option to add depth to Rui Borges’ squad, but he was not the first choice.

Moncef Zekri was Sporting’s preferred target, with negotiations with KV Mechelen creating the need for another option. Soler would have become the main candidate if that deal failed, although pursuing the Bournemouth defender was expected to require a substantially larger investment than Zekri’s €3m move.

Sporting completed the agreement for Zekri and presented the Morocco international on Tuesday. He is expected to compete with Maxi Araújo, meaning the Portuguese side did not need to progress with Soler as it secured its preferred solution.

The interest adds to a series of possible exits for Soler. Ajax and River Plate discussed a move for him during the January window, while clubs in Brazil also showed interest, but none of those avenues produced a transfer and he stayed at Bournemouth.

Soler has since spent much of his time with Bournemouth’s reserves and has struggled to establish a place in the first-team plans. That situation made another departure possible this summer, although Sporting’s decision to sign Zekri kept the 25-year-old at the Cherries for now.

Bournemouth’s recent listed form before the league defeat included three wins and two draws: victories against FC St. Pauli, Fulham and Crystal Palace, alongside 1-1 draws with Nottingham Forest and Manchester City. Their next Premier League fixture is at home to Everton on August 29.