Liverpool starlet Ibe becomes Bournemouth's record signing

London (AFP) – Flying England Under-21 winger Jordon Ibe cost Bournemouth a reported record £15million (17.9m euros, $20m) when he signed on Thursday from their Premier League rivals Liverpool.

The 20-year-old — capped four times at Under-21 level — signed a four year contract with the ‘Cherries’ before joining them on their tour of the United States having given up hope of regular first team football at Liverpool.

His transfer fee easily surpasses the previous club record of £9million outlaid for Benik Afobe from second tier Wolves last January. 

Liverpool’s signing of Southampton’s Senegalese international forward Sadio Mane also helped him seek a move to end four-and-a-half years on Merseyside.

“We’re delighted to bring Jordon to the football club,” said Bournemouth chief executive Neill Blake.

“He played plenty of football with Liverpool last season and we’re looking forward to seeing him to continue to grow now with us, he’s a huge prospect.

“We’ve now signed five players this summer, all of whom have an abundance of potential.

“It shows that we’re serious about nurturing talent at this football club and we have the long term in mind when we say we want to stay in the Premier League.”

Ibe, who played 58 times for Liverpool since making his debut in the 2012/13 campaign, joins Nathan Ake, Under-17 star Lewis Cook, Emerson Hyndman and Lys Mousset as the new faces manager Eddie Howe has brought in during the close season.