CHERRIES winger Siriki Dembele could not prevent Auxerre from suffering relegation out of the top tier of French football.

Dembele joined Auxerre on loan in January, after struggling for game-time under Gary O’Neil.

The 26-year-old joined Cherries from Peterborough United for around £1.5million in January 2022, going on to help the club clinch promotion from the Championship.

However, after making just 22 appearances in exactly 12 months, most of which came as a substitute, and netting two goals, Dembele moved out on loan.

After initially helping Auxerre pick up 15 points, losing just one of his first eight appearances, a poor end to the campaign saw them slip into Ligue 2, following a 3-1 loss to second-placed Lens on the final day.

Dembele is under contract at Cherries until the summer of 2025.