Justin Kluivert’s agent Enzo Raiola has told Chiamarsi Bomber that Richard Hughes played a key role in his client’s arrival at AFC Bournemouth.
The Netherlands international joined the Premier League club from AS Roma in June 2023 when Hughes was the technical director at the Vitality Stadium.
Last summer, Hughes left Bournemouth for Liverpool, and the representative has stressed about the role he played in bringing his client to the club.
Kluivert swapped Ajax for Roma in 2018 and struggled to impress at the Italian club. This resulted in loan moves to RB Leipzig, OGC Nice and Valencia between 2020 and 2023.
Raiola insists the English club helped his client get away from the difficult situation at the Italian capital club.
“When he arrived at Roma, he was very young and found himself in an uncomfortable environment, also thanks to the difficult corporate situation that the club was going through,” he said.
“In Serie A, he was unable to express himself at his best and was loaned out. Then, when the opportunity to go to Bournemouth arose, we immediately took it with great enthusiasm, convinced that the Premier League would be the right context for him.”
“In this sense, the will of the then sporting director of Bournemouth, now at Liverpool… had played a key role in Kluivert’s sale to the English club, was decisive.”
Tiago Pinto was the director at Roma when they sold the Dutchman to Bournemouth. He left the Giallorossi in February 2024 and took charge as Cherries managing director of football later that year.
Kluivert’s agent now claims Pinto made a prediction about his client last summer and that has now come true.
“As soon as he arrived at Bournemouth, Tiago Pinto called me and told me that the player would have his best season, and I must admit that he was right,” Raiola explained.
The former Ajax man has managed 12 goals and six assists from 28 matches so far this season. His performances have helped him return to the Netherlands squad for the first time in six years.
Raiola says his client is happy at Bournemouth when asked about Kluivert’s future plans.
“As for the future, there is currently no new scenario in sight. The Premier League is a particular market, where negotiations are very rapid, and we will see what happens,” he added.
“At the moment, however, the player feels very comfortable at Bournemouth, who are also fighting for the Champions League.”
