Serie A club Fiorentina have agreed a season-long loan for Bournemouth's Spanish defender Alex Jimenez, a move that allows the 21-year-old to keep playing while he remains suspended by his club. Jimenez was dropped from Bournemouth's first team in May over what the club described as a "serious matter" relating to "posts circulating on social media", and an investigation into those allegations is still ongoing.

The loan deal includes a 20m euros (£17m) option for Fiorentina to sign him permanently. Jimenez originally joined Bournemouth on loan from AC Milan before signing a permanent deal in February that runs until 2031, and last season the Spain Under-21s international made 32 appearances, scoring once — his only goal coming in a 3-2 home win over Liverpool.