Bournemouth have confirmed Álex Jiménez has been omitted from their squad for Saturday’s game at Fulham after they opened an investigation relating to social media posts.
It follows alleged exchanges on social media between Jiménez and an individual who appears to state that they are a 15-year-old girl.
Jiménez has made 32 appearances for Bournemouth this season and started their past five Premier League matches.
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In a statement released on Friday, the club said: “AFC Bournemouth are aware of posts circulating on social media involving right-back Álex Jiménez.
“The club understand the seriousness of the matter and it is currently being investigated. As a result, Álex will not be included in the squad for tomorrow’s Premier League game against Fulham and the club will be making no further comment at this time.”
Bournemouth’s head coach, Andoni Iraola, addressed the situation during his pre-match media duties. “The club has to do their investigations and see what has really happened,” he said. “We will then move from there. I hope it’s not what we think.”
Jiménez, who turned 21 on Friday, joined permanently from Milan in a £17m deal in February after a spell on loan, signing a five-and-a-half-year contract. The Spaniard spent 10 years on the books of Real Madrid before moving to Italy in 2024.
Jiménez’s representatives have been approached for comment.