Following the recent announcement of Brazilian wonderkid Rayan, Bournemouth are now looking to Milan as they chase another Brazilian winger to further strengthen their attacking options.
Luis Henrique only joined Inter in June 2025 but could already be on the move again. He has made 23 appearances so far this season in an Inter side that sits five points clear at the top of Serie A, but has managed just one assist and zero goals during the campaign.
This is a far cry from the form he showed last season at Marseille, where he contributed seven goals and eight assists in 33 league appearances for the French outfit.
Inter undoubtedly regret how the Henrique signing has panned out so far. However, they are not in a rush to push him out the door unless they can find a suitable replacement in the final days of the window.
As many Italian sides traditionally have done, Inter, under former captain and now manager Cristian Chivu, deploy a three centre-back system, relying on wing-backs to provide support in both attack and defence.
This clash of playstyles has contributed to Henrique’s decline in offensive output, as the former Botafogo man is being forced into a role in which he is never truly comfortable.
Denzel Dumfries is a specialist in this wing-back position and, if it were not for an ankle issue that has plagued him all season, Henrique would likely be spending many more minutes on the bench.
A prime example of Henrique’s struggles came in last Friday’s match against Pisa. Inter went 2–0 down within 31 minutes before Chivu pulled Henrique off in the 33rd minute.
The Nerazzurri then went on to win the game 6–2 without him on the pitch.
The South Coast appears to be an ideal fit for Henrique. In Iraola’s setup, he would operate as either a left or right-sided winger with far less defensive responsibility to consider, mirroring his successful spells at Botafogo and Marseille.
Bournemouth supporters will also be hoping he can form a strong connection with Rayan and Evanilson, with the trio potentially developing into a deadly Brazilian front line.
The move represents a calculated gamble by Bournemouth’s recruitment team, who believe the player’s below-par performances in Italy are a case of ‘wrong place, wrong time’ rather than a lack of quality.
By returning to a more traditional 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 system under Iraola, Henrique would gain the license to drive at full-backs and recreate the high-intensity dribbling numbers that made him one of Ligue 1’s most exciting prospects just twelve months ago.
Financially, the deal makes sense for both clubs. Inter would avoid taking a significant loss on their summer signing and may be wary that, should his struggles continue, his value could drop further.
Meanwhile, Bournemouth would still be reinvesting a portion of the substantial fee received from Manchester City for Antoine Semenyo earlier this window.
With the club banking £65m for Semenyo, the proposed £18m outlay for Henrique represents a relatively low-risk reinvestment of those funds.
Bournemouth’s ownership group has shown a clear preference for targeting high-ceiling players under the age of 25 who offer strong resale value. Henrique, despite his recent struggles, fits that profile perfectly and could command a significantly higher fee if he finds his feet in the Premier League.
According to the latest reports from transfer expert Gianluca di Marzio, the deal is ‘close to satisfying Inter’, but timing remains the key obstacle.
Inter are unwilling to green-light Henrique’s exit until a new right winger arrives, with the club heavily linked to a return for veteran Ivan Perisic as cover.
Should the Italians secure their replacement, Henrique’s move to the Vitality Stadium could accelerate rapidly before the deadline.
