AFC Bournemouth have signed American teenager Matai Akinmboni from DC United.
The 18-year-old centre-back will wear the No 45 shirt and has joined the club on a long-term contract.
He is the Cherries' first signing of the January transfer window.
What was said about him?
First-team technical director Simon Francis told Bournemouth's official website: “He is an exciting young player we have been monitoring for an extended period and have been impressed by his progress.
“Matai is a player we believe has a very bright future and we are looking forward to seeing him develop with us.”
Who is he?
Akinmboni is the nephew of Bayern Munich great and Ghanaian international Samuel Kuffour, who faced Manchester United in the dramatic 1999 UEFA Champions League final and was named BBC African Footballer of the Year in 2001.
Akinmboni became the third-youngest player to play in Major League Soccer, with former DC United head coach Wayne Rooney handing him his first senior appearance on 10 September 2022 when he was just 15 years and 328 days old.
The towering 6ft 3in centre-back attracted attention across Europe, having previously trained with Bayern Munich and Villarreal, as well as Championship side Swansea City.
A product of the DC United academy, Akinmboni made 31 appearances for the first team in all competitions, contributing an assist along the way.
On the international stage, Akinmboni has progressed through the US youth system, training with the Under-17s before earning caps for the U19s and U20s.
Akinmboni could provide additional depth for Bournemouth as they push for European qualification this season.
The Cherries are next in action on Saturday 4 January against Everton.
