As the window closes on their first summer as a Premier League club, Eddie Howe insists he is happy with the business he has conducted at Bournemouth.
The Cherries earned promotion to the top-flight for the first time in their history when they topped the Championship table at the end of last season, and have started life in the big league with a win, a draw and two defeats from their first four games. But they style they have played in has given optimism that they may defy the odds and avoid an instant return to the second-tier.
Howe has also been given the opportunity to add to his squad, including breaking the club record to take Tyrone Mings from Ipswich Town for £8million. Other exciting additions include Max Gradel from St Etienne for £7million and Middlesbrough’s Lee Tomlin for £3million. And on deadline day, the Dean Court club took striker Glenn Murray from Crystal Palace for an initial £3million.
Overall Bournemouth were able to bring in a dozen players, although it is understood they missed out on further targets including their former frontman Lewis Grabban who they failed to persuade Norwich City to part with. But all things considered, Howe insists he is pleased with the business he has conducted, especially as he has not lost any of his star performers of last season.
“We are happy with our business,” he told the Bournemouth Daily Echo upon the closure of the transfer window. “We have added a striker of the type that we were looking for and are delighted to bring in Glenn. We are very pleased we have kept the squad intact and were able to continue to look to improve it rather than weaken it. That is something which is often underestimated.”
Meanwhile, the Cherries have received a triple-blow on the injury front. Gradel, who has made an impressive start since his arrival from France earlier this summer, faces six months on the sidelines after tearing his cruciate ligament in his left knee. And Mings is expected to be out for three months and Charlie Daniels for one month as both have picked up knee injuries.
Bournemouth
IN: Tyrone Mings (Ipswich Town £8m), Max Gradel (St Etienne £7m), Glenn Murray (Crystal Palace (£3m), Lee Tomlin (Middlesbrough £3m), Artur Boruc (Southampton free), Josh King (Blackburn Rovers free), Adam Federici (Reading free), Sylvain Distin (Everton free), Christian Atsu (Chelsea loan), Filippo Costa (Chievo loan), Joe Bennett (Aston Villa loan), Thomas Andrade (River Plate loan).
OUT: Brett Pitman (Ipswich Town undisclosed), Josh McQuoid (Luton Town free), Lee Camp (Rotherham United free), Ian Harte, Joe Partington, Mohamed Coulibaly, Miles Addison, Darryl Flahavan (all released), Ryan Fraser (Ipswich Town loan), Jayden Stockley (Portsmouth loan), Stephane Zubar (York City loan), Harry Cornick (Yeovil Town loan).
