Iraola on Brooks' issue, replacing Semenyo and busy transfer window

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BBC

BBC

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola has been speaking to the media before Monday's Premier League game against Brighton at Amex Stadium (kick-off 20:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his chat with BBC Radio Solent:

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  • Iraola says his squad will "continue be thin" for Monday's match, adding: "David Brooks has some issues with his ankle, I don't know if he will be available. Ryan Christie is on the positive side, we could recover him."

  • He added that Enes Unal's injury is not major, and hopes he will only be out for two or three weeks.

  • On how he can replace the output of Antoine Semenyo: "We need players in his position and the club is working on it. We also need players already here to step up. It is not going to be just one; it will be a collective."

  • Iraola was reluctant to say much about the club's links to Hungarian midfielder Alex Toth, but said on the window in general: "We are open to a lot of situations in January. You are not going to find the perfect player but you have to be open-minded."

  • When asked how many players could arrive at Vitality Stadium this month: "We could sign two, three, four. In our heads, three is probably the number we have because we need to replace three positions."

  • On why Brighton are "so difficult to prepare for", Iraola said: "They have so many different routes to goal. They like to change their starting 11. In the last 30 minutes of games they have a plus-10 goal difference which is massive. It says a lot about the subs, who keep or even increase their level."

  • He was asked if he enjoys the Monday night slot of Premier League football: "I love to play late at night because I think proper football is played at night. But I get more nervous when we are not playing [over the weekend] when you are looking at the other results."

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