Liverpool’s star officially changes his name upon joining his new club for a £25 million fee.

19/08/2025 08:23:00 SportScoop

Bournemouth has officially unveiled their £25 million blockbuster signing of young talent Ben Doak from Liverpool.

The 19-year-old winger not only brings a new dynamic to the Cherries’ attack but also surprised everyone by choosing to display the name Ben Gannon Doak on his shirt, in tribute to both his parents’ surnames. With a five-year deal and the number 11 jersey, Doak is set to be an ideal addition to manager Andoni Iraola’s fast-paced, direct attacking style.

Doak joined Liverpool from Celtic in 2022 for a fee of just £600,000, but quickly made his mark despite only appearing 10 times for the first team. Last season, he was loaned to Middlesbrough in the Championship, where he scored three goals and assisted seven times in 24 matches, before a thigh injury ended his campaign early in February. His talent was recognized with the EFL Young Player of the Month award in November and six caps for the Scottish national team, making his debut against Poland last September.

Ben Doak will now have the name Gannon Doak on his kit.

Moving to Bournemouth represents a major milestone in Doak’s career. Bournemouth managed to secure his signature ahead of competition from Nottingham Forest, Leeds United, and Porto. Liverpool included a clever buy-back clause in the deal, giving them priority to re-sign Doak for Anfield in the future. For Bournemouth, Doak is the fourth signing of the summer, following Bafode Diakite, Djordje Petrovic, and Adrien Truffert, significantly strengthening the southern English club’s squad.

Speaking after signing his contract, Doak couldn’t hide his excitement: “I’m really excited to be here. This is the right time for me to play regularly at the highest level. Bournemouth plays attractive, fast football that fits my style perfectly. I couldn’t pass up this opportunity.” Doak’s speed and energy are expected to fill the void left by Dango Ouattara, who just transferred to Brentford for £42 million. He may make his debut in the upcoming match against Wolves at Vitality Stadium this weekend.

For Liverpool, the Doak transfer boosts their total summer player sales to nearly £200 million, following deals for Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Caoimhin Kelleher, and Jarell Quansah. This is a considerable profit, especially since Doak only cost them £600,000 three years ago. Despite leaving Anfield, the young Scottish talent remains highly regarded, with huge potential to develop further under Iraola’s management.

Tiago Pinto, Bournemouth’s sporting director, said: “Ben is an extremely promising young player who has already proven his quality at a high level despite his age. His pace and energy are a great fit for our approach. We’re excited to help Ben realize his full potential at Bournemouth.”

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