KILMARNOCK, SCOTLAND - NOVEMBER 01: Nicke Kabamba of Kilmarnock is challenged by Ryan Jack of Rangers during the Ladbrokes Scottish Premiership match between Kilmarnock and Rangers at Rugby Park on November 01, 2020 in Kilmarnock, Scotland. (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)
According to claims from football website The 72 (h/t The Scotsman), Bournemouth have been touted to make a move for Kilmarnock striker Nicke Kabamba ahead of the January window.
The 27-year-old’s current deal at Rugby Park is due to expire at the end of the season, leaving the door open for the Cherries to agree a pre-contract deal with the player next month.
Nicke Kabamba plied his trade with several non-league clubs Uxbridge, Hayes, Burnham, Hemel Hempstead Town and Hampton & Richmond Borough earlier in his career. He eventually earned a move to Portsmouth in League Two back in January 2017 but joined Colchester United on loan after making only a handful of appearances.
The striker had stints at Aldershot Town, Havant & Waterlooville and Hartlepool United in the National League before moving north of the border with Kilmarnock in the Scottish top-flight. Kabamba scored 4 times in 12 appearances across all competitions last term before the Covid-19 pandemic brought a premature end to the campaign.
Kabamba has made a promising start to the 2020-21 season, netting 5 times in 17 league appearances for Killie so far. The striker has bagged three man-of-the-match awards to show for his efforts at Rugby Park this term.
Bournemouth are currently flying high in the Championship after suffering relegation from the top-flight at the end of last season. They look like strong contenders for automatic promotion to the Premier League.
In fact, Jason Tindall’s side presently boast the best attacking record in the second tier this season with 35 goals scored so far. Dominic Solanke has been the top goal contributor for the club with David Brooks, Sam Surridge, Arnaut Danjuma Groeneveld and Junior Stanislas all chipping in with some decent returns.
Bournemouth, to that end, can be pretty relaxed heading into the January window but they should be aware of market opportunities to add more quality to their ranks. The Cherries are expected to lose Joshua King, whose contract at the Vitality Stadium is set to expire at the end of the season.
Nicke Kabamba hardly has the kind of profile required to step into the shoes of King at Bournemouth but the Kilmarnock star has racked up some decent numbers in the Scottish Premiership. He only made a handful of appearances in the Football League earlier in his career but a return to English football would make sense after proving his worth north of the border.
Standing at 6ft 3in with a towering frame, Kabamba would provide a much-needed focal point to Bournemouth’s attack. With fixtures set to come thick and fast during the second half of the campaign, the Cherries can certainly do with a bit more depth and variety in their attack.
He might not be a feasible option for the club should they manage to secure promotion to the Premier League but the 27-year-old looks ready to play a part in the Championship. Having said that, Bournemouth completing a cut-price swoop for the Scottish Premiership star next month would be a risk worth taking.