Bournemouth Opinion: Why Howe should go all out to sign Markus Henriksen

According to a report from VG, Markus Henriksen is planning to leave Hull City when his contract expires in the summer amidst interest from Premier League duo Leicester City and Newcastle United.

Markus Henriksen, 26, has been one of Hull’s top performers this season, transforming the club’s fortunes from being a relegation fodder to playoff contenders. The Tigers are currently 12^th in the table, just five points adrift of the final playoff spot.

Hull City’s surge up the table in the last couple of months saw Henriksen stay put at the club amidst interest in the January transfer window. Both Leicester and Newcastle were said to be interested in acquiring the Norwegian’s services​ in January and will likely renew their interest in the summer when he becomes a free agent.

That said, Bournemouth must beat the likes of Leicester and Newcastle for the signature of Henriksen this summer.

Bournemouth have struggled in the second half of the campaign, winning just three games out of 10 Premier League games since the turn of the year. In fact, they have won just once in the last six league games that have seen the Cherries fall out of top 10.

That’s disastrous for Eddie Howe and co. plainly because they were firmly in the race for finishing seventh. They are now seven points adrift of seventh-placed Wolves, which clearly tells a lot of work needs to be done over the summer if Bournemouth are to challenge for a Europa League spot next season.

One of the prime areas that needs bolstering is the central midfield, with Howe having very limited options to select from. Lewis Cook’s season-ending injury has further depleted the options in midfield, leaving Howe to select from Jefferson Lerma, Andrew Surman and Dan Gosling.

There is a clear lack of depth in midfield and Howe should address the problem by signing Markus Henriksen. Standing at 6ft. 2in, the Norwegian international is a technically-gifted and tactically-versatile midfielder who is comfortable playing in No.6, No. 8 and No.10 roles in the midfield.

He is a very strong and physical midfielder whose towering frame helps him win almost every aerial duel. The former Rosenborg and AZ Alkmaar man is exceptionally sharp and agile for a player of his stature and also has wonderful dribbling skills for a central midfielder.

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Henriksen can pick a pass, break attacks with his tackling and interception skills and is adept at controlling the tempo of the game. Furthermore, he is a leader on and off the pitch and will add goals from midfield for Bournemouth.

Verdict

Available on a potential free transfer at the end of the season, Howe should do everything possible to get Henriksen. The Norwegian’s all-action displays and versatility certainly tick all the boxes to be a smashing signing for the Cherries.