Bournemouth owner Bill Foley has set his sights on bringing Champions League football to the south coast, insisting the Cherries have the capability to go all the way and lift the Europa League trophy this season. The American billionaire, who has overseen the club since December 2022, outlined his high expectations ahead of welcoming seven-time European champions AC Milan to the Vitality Stadium for only the third European match in Bournemouth's history. Reflecting on the club's journey from sitting on minus 17 points in League Two back in 2008, Foley reaffirmed that winning a major trophy is his primary ambition, alongside consistently competing for fourth, fifth, sixth, or seventh place in the Premier League to secure elite European qualification.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Foley humorously referred to "little old tin pot Bournemouth" taking on the Italian giants, but stressed that a Cherries victory on Thursday would not come as a surprise. The owner believes gathering 15, 16, or 17 points in the competition will be sufficient to avoid the knockout round and open the door to a genuine shot at silverware. While Foley admitted he avoids making official forecasts because he often gets into trouble when his predictions come to pass, he reaffirmed full confidence in his squad and stated that his overarching targets for the club have not changed.
Alongside his on-pitch targets, Foley is focused on keeping key midfielder Alex Scott at the club. The Cherries turned down a £64 million proposal from Chelsea during the summer for the 23-year-old England international, who continues to attract strong interest from both the Blues and Liverpool. Although Scott has declined a fresh contract offer that would establish him as the club's top earner, and could potentially depart in January if an acceptable bid materialises, Foley is determined to continue contract negotiations. He argued that six-figure salaries should become commonplace at Bournemouth, noting that while young players sometimes look towards Chelsea or Manchester City, the club's brand-new, state-of-the-art performance centre and stable leadership will help them retain elite talent for the long term.
Foley also reserved praise for German head coach Marco Rose, who replaced Andoni Iraola in the dugout over the summer. Rose picked up his maiden Premier League victory on Sunday against Sunderland, hitting the milestone two matches earlier than Iraola, whose first victory came in his ninth fixture against Burnley. Describing Rose as an empathetic yet demanding manager who connects well with his squad, Foley confirmed the club is already preparing for the next transfer window to identify further upgrades, declaring the team fully prepared for their historic encounter with Milan.