AFC Bournemouth rival Watford, Lyon and Real Betis for 23-year-old

Championship club AFC Bournemouth are interested in recruiting RKC Waalwijk centre-back Ahmed Touba along with Premier League side Watford and other clubs across Europe, according to a report from Foot Mercato.

The 23-year-old has been one of the first names on the teamsheet for his domestic side in the Eredivisie, making 17 league appearances this term and plying his trade in central defence through the campaign thus far, though he can also operate on the left-hand side.

His performances have attracted top-flight teams from across the continent, with Watford, Lyon, Real Betis and Dutch outfit Feyenoord all competing in the top tiers in their respective nations – and all are currently keeping tabs on his situation at the Mandemakers Stadion.

The Cherries are currently stuck in the second tier of English football following their failure to win the play-offs last term – but are already reported to be preparing for top-flight football next term with Huddersfield Town midfielder Lewis O’Brien one man thought to be on their shortlist if they are promoted at the end of the campaign.

Their league status may also depend on whether they can attract Touba to the Vitality Stadium, with Scott Parker’s men already strengthening their defence in January with the loan signing of Liverpool’s Nathaniel Phillips.

But it remains to be seen whether they can strike a permanent agreement with the Reds to bring him to the south coast on a longer-term basis at the end of the campaign – or whether they even want to retain him.

Regardless of this, they have reportedly lined up another man in Touba to bolster their backline, with Arnaut Danjuma’s £21.3m sale to Villarreal last summer potentially giving them the resources to recruit the Algerian