Udinese reach agreement to sign Jordan Zemura from Bournemouth

Bournemouth’s Zimbabwean defender Jordan Zemura has been banished from training with the first team for the remainder of the 2022/23 Premier League campaign after he reportedly agreed a pre-contract to join Italian side Udinese.

Zemura has been asked to train with Bournemouth’s developmental side.

According to The Athletic, Bournemouth’s decision comes after “Serie A outfit Udinese opened talks to sign the 23-year-old (Jordan Zemura) from the south coast side.”

Udinese view Zemura as a long-term replacement for 20-year-old Destiny Udogie, whose loan from Tottenham expires this summer.

The Zimbabwean international contract rebel who has ‘refused’ to agree a new deal with Bournemouth looks set to leave the Cherries after his contract expires in the summer.

He is on-demand with many European clubs including West Ham, Newcastle United from England and other German teams said to be willing to secure his services.

However, latest reports suggest the full back has already entered into talks with Udinese with the hope of signing for the Serie A outfit.

If the two parties successfully agree to terms of the offered contract, Zemura could likely become the first Zimbabwean footballer ever to ply his trade in Italy’s top flight league.

The highly rated roving left back made 19 Premier League appearances this season.

He joined Bournemouth from Charlton Athletic in 2019 and in total has made 59 appearances for the Premier League side which is still in the relegation matrix.

Bournemouth are placed 15th on the log standings with 30 points from 30 games, seven apiece with table anchors Southampton after playing the same number of games.

Last month manager Gary O’Neil was asked about Zemura’s future during a press conference before their 3-0 loss to Aston Villa.

Asked if Zemura had a future at the club, the manager said: ‘I think Jordan has had a good time here, of course.

‘My job at the moment, I don’t get involved at all in contract situations, just purely on team selection.

As we saw, Lloyd Kelly is back fit now and can play left-back. We’ve got a Uruguay international back available, Matias Vina, who has trained well.

‘So we have three very capable left-backs at the moment. So some tough decisions for me, but also positives that we have more options.”

Zemura has been capped six times by Zimbabwe and was named in their squad for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.