Bournemouth’s rise up the football leagues has been fantastic to watch over the years. It’s meant that young blooming stars donned the red and black shirt before becoming superstars.
Additionally, established legends coming to the end of their career spent some time with the Cherries. So, here’s seven players you (probably) forgot played for Bournemouth.
Embed from Getty ImagesRio Ferdinand (November 1996 – January 1997)
Rio Ferdinand
In November 1996, a young Rio Ferdinand joined Bournemouth on a short-term loan from West Ham. He made his debut in a 1–1 draw away at Blackpool and went on to play 10 games for the Cherries, gaining first-team experience before returning to the Hammers in January 1997.
Ferdinand would later become one of England’s greatest centre-backs, winning six Premier League titles and a Champions League with Manchester United.
Embed from Getty ImagesLeif Davis (July 2021 – June 2022)
Leif Davis joined Bournemouth on a season-long loan from Leeds United ahead of the 2021–22 campaign. He made his debut off the bench in a 2–1 win over Nottingham Forest and earned his first start just days later in an unfamiliar right-wing role during a 2–0 victory at Birmingham.
Davis made 15 appearances in total as part of the squad that secured automatic promotion to the Premier League. He later signed permanently for Ipswich Town, where he became a key figure in their rise to the Premier League.
Embed from Getty ImagesMorgan Rogers (August 2021 – June 2022)
Morgan Rogers joined Bournemouth on loan from Manchester City in August 2021 for the remainder of the season. He made a handful of appearances and scored his only goal for the club in a 3–2 defeat to Luton Town in January 2022.
Rogers has since rebuilt his career with strong performances at Middlesbrough, earning a move to Aston Villa in 2024. He has gone on to score a hat-trick in the Champions League against Celtic and score against PSG in the quarter-finals.
Embed from Getty ImagesGlenn Murray (September 2015 – July 2016)
Glenn Murray joined Bournemouth from Crystal Palace in September 2015 for £4 million, signing a three-year deal. He made an early impact, scoring his first goal in a 1–1 draw against Watford before netting again at Manchester City and famously heading a late winner away to Chelsea.
He left on loan to Brighton in 2016, playing a key role in their promotion to the Premier League before rejoining them permanently and staying until 2021.
Embed from Getty ImagesJack Wilshere (August 2016 – April 2017 and January 2021 – June 2021)
Jack Wilshere first joined Bournemouth on loan from Arsenal for the 2016–17 Premier League season, making 29 league appearances and earning back-to-back Player of the Month awards before a leg fracture cut his season short.
He returned in January 2021 on a short-term deal, scoring twice in 17 appearances, including his first Championship goal for the club in a 3–2 win over Birmingham. After leaving Bournemouth, Wilshere retired in 2022 and later took up coaching within Arsenal’s academy.
Embed from Getty ImagesArnaut Danjuma (August 2019 – August 2021)
Arnaut Danjuma signed for Bournemouth in August 2019 for £13.7 million, making his debut in an EFL Cup defeat to Burton Albion. After an injury-hit first season, he found his form in the Championship, scoring regularly during the 2020–21 campaign.
He was named Championship Player of the Month for April 2021 and won Bournemouth’s Player of the Year award that season. Danjuma’s standout performances earned him a move to Villarreal in the summer of 2021.
Embed from Getty ImagesGeorge Best
George Best
In March 1983, George Best made a brief return to English football with AFC Bournemouth, signing under manager Don Megson. At 36, he played five matches for the Third Division side without scoring, bringing a quiet end to his iconic career in English football. He retired shortly after, aged 37.
Written by Isabelle Newnham
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