Bournemouth were satisfied to sit back on transfer deadline day and watch their Premier League rivals compete for the remaining seven deals.
The Cherries completed four signings; teenage forward Rayan for an initial £24.7m on a five-and-a-half-year contract with a further £5.6m in potential add-ons, midfielder Alex Toth from Ferencvaros for £10.4m, plus goalkeepers Fraser Forster and Christos Mandas, the latter joining on loan from Lazio.
In addition, Bournemouth’s versatile right-sided option Alex Jimenez is one appearance away from triggering a £16.4m obligation to buy in his initial loan agreement from AC Milan, with a further £4.3m potentially due in difficult-to-reach add-ons.
Bournemouth were forced to spend after suffering an injury crisis, following a turbulent summer in which three of their first-choice defenders – Dean Huijsen, Illia Zabarnyi and Milos Kerkez – left to join Champions League clubs.
The investment of about £390m across two and a half seasons, offset in part by player sales, is designed to demonstrate the club’s ambition to compete.
It also comes as the Cherries continue their prolonged efforts to secure a contract extension for manager Andoni Iraola, who has attracted interest from elsewhere, with his current deal expiring at the end of the season.
It remains unclear if Iraola will sign, with his future potentially going to remain in the air throughout the current campaign.
Bournemouth were considered in a relegation battle in early January when on an 11-game winless run but their form has since improved, leaving them currently 12th in the Premier League and three points off the teams in seventh and eighth places – which would likely see one team qualify for Europe.