Bournemouth complete club-record Lerma deal for reported £25M

Bournemouth completed their third signing of the summer on Tuesday with the acquisition of Levante central midfielder Jefferson Lerma.

The Colombia international, 23, signed a five-year deal at the south coast club in a move the Cherries confirmed is worth a club-record fee, and therefore exceed the reported £20 million paid for Chelsea's Nathan Ake. Reports last week suggested the fee for Lerma is £25 million.

"I'm so happy to be an AFC Bournemouth player," Lerma told Bournemouth's website. "The transfer has been very long because it took a while for the clubs to reach an agreement, but the most important thing is that I am here now and everyone got what they wanted in the end.

"I have always loved the Premier League style of football and am very happy to have this opportunity. I am looking forward to success and doing important things for this club."

Strong, accomplished in the air, and possessing a combative style, Lerma will add grit to Eddie Howe's midfield. Howe's biggest job will likely be taming the indiscipline which saw the Colombian booked 16 times in La Liga last season.

Lerma, who featured in all of his country's four games at the World Cup in Russia this summer, moves to England after three seasons in Spain. He is Bournemouth's third signing after Leganes defender Diego Rico and Sheffield United midfielder David Brooks.