After struggling for regular minutes at Chelsea, Asmir Begović left the Blues for AFC Bournemouth in 2017.
Eddie Howe picked the Bosnia and Herzegovina international until the end of last year, but he lost place in the starting lineup to Artur Boruc in the second half of last season. Begović made only four appearances for the English side in 2019.
Speaking to Bosnian outlet Klix, the former Stoke City man opened up about the difficult situation he endured at Bournemouth in the final months of the previous campaign.
“I have to admit the whole situation was a little weird for me because I wasn’t used to everything that was happening in the months before leaving Bournemouth,” he said.
“There they assured me that they wanted me, that training and quality would be crucial, but unfortunately that was not the case.”
Howe didn’t consider Begović for this season, which convinced the 32-year-old to join Qarabağ on a short loan deal. He is delighted to have taken this step.
“Qarabağ’s offer was fair and came first, after that we got a few more [offers] from better leagues, but I simply wanted to keep my word,” the custodian explained.
“I’ve been in England for a long time and I kind of got into a routine there. I knew all the players, all the stadiums, all the coaches, all the referees… I always wanted to try something new, and as things went, it turned out this was a great move.
“I knew some basic things about Baku, but again it is impossible to avoid a positive surprise, the city is really great, the people are great, the club is well organised, so I am pleased.”
Begović made 15 appearances in all competitions for Qarabağ, five of which came in the Europa League. He now remains hopeful of extending his temporary stay until next summer.
“I should report to the club early next month and we’ll see what happens after that. I came to Qarabag to get back into rhythm and that goal was fulfilled. I played all the time, was one of the best players in the team and returned to competitive form,” Begović stressed.
“I talked to the people at the club, their desire to continue cooperation is there. It’s nice for me here and I would [like to] stay, but it’s not just me who decides. I will take a break to rest, spend time with family, and then we will see what to do next.”
