Fantasy Football Potential – Diego Rico

Bournemouth have signed Spanish full back Diego Rico from Spanish side CD Leganes for a fee believed to be in the region of £11 million. The 25 year old predominantly plays in the left back position but can also play in the centre of defence.

Diego Rico has a lot of experience in Spanish football making over 150 league appearances across the two top divisions. Last season specifically, he was in and out of their team, featuring 26 times in La Liga and seven times in the Copa del Rey, where Leganes reached the semi-finals.

Here’s what Rico had to say about his move:

“I’m very happy to be here and would like to thank everyone at AFC Bournemouth for making me feel so welcome. This is a new step for me in my career and from my heart I can say I am truly excited to be here and looking forward to the future. I am very excited to be a Bournemouth player.”

Fantasy Premier League Potential (4.5m)

The first problem you have to address with Rico is the fact that Charlie Daniels has seemingly nailed on the left back position at Bournemouth. Unless Eddie Howe is thinking of playing him at centre half I can’t see him getting too much game time ahead of the impressive Daniels. That said the amount they’ve paid for him could indicate that he will get a starting spot.

He’s been priced at £4.5m which is fair and if he can get minutes on the pitch then he might be an option. He scored twice and set up two goals last season for Leganes, but a downside for him could be his disciplinary record. He was booked nine times and sent off once in those 26 matches which would see him lose vital points and rule him out of bonus point contention.

Bournemouth’s first five fixtures are as follows: Cardiff (H), West Ham (A), Everton (H), Chelsea (A) and Leicester (H). It’s a decent start for the Cherries and if Rico plays a sufficient part in these matches then he will definitely be a very good option.

Written by Harry Clark (@HarryClark67)