Reports | Bournemouth goalkeeper Asmir Begovic joins Qarabag on loan
Out of favour Bournemouth goalkeeper Asmir Begovic has left the Premier League and has joined Azerbaijan side Qarabag on a loan deal until January. The former Chelsea and Stoke City star joins Azerbaijan first-tier champions just before the summer transfer window closed for this season.
Since his move from Chelsea, Asmir Begovic has featured for 70 times in two seasons for Bournemouth across all competitions. However, half-way through last season, the Bosnian fell down the club's pecking order, behind Aaron Ramsdale, Artur Boruc and Mark Travers. It saw Begovic play just four games after January, not even making the bench for the club's final two games of the 2018/19 season.
The 32-year-old also had a fallout with Cherries manager, Eddie Howe, last year with Howe opting to use Artur Boruc in goal instead. While the Cherries boss had declined any rumors of a fallout, the fact that the Bosnian international has now left for Qarbag proves otherwise.Â
“He made a decision as the manager. Of course, I didn't like it. Any time you don't play, you don't like sitting on the bench. We had a discussion, we had a conversation about it, and we moved on from there. And obviously now, the manager feels like going in a different direction is the best thing for the club, for the team,” Begovic told the Athletic.
"We're in a sport where emotion runs high, of course, (and) we all want the best for each other but we're different kinds of animals that want the best for themselves,” added the former Stoke City star.
Signed from Chelsea in 2017 for ÂŁ10m, Begovic made 24 appearances last year and still has two years left on his Bournemouth contract. He now joins a side that has won the Azerbaijan Premier League for the past six years and will potentially get a chance to play in the Europa League.