Bournemouth

Eddie Howe "excited" by Benik Afobe potential

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 11 January 2016

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe believes that new signing Benik Afobe is ready to make the step up to the Premier League following prolific spells with MK Dons and Wolves.

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has spoken of his excitement at working with new signing Benik Afobe.

The Cherries are understood to have splashed a club-record fee of around £10m to bring the striker in from Wolverhampton Wanderers on a four-and-a-half-year deal earlier this week.

The 22-year-old was formerly on the books at Arsenal, but made his name with prolific spells at Wolves and MK Dons, and Howe believes that he is ready to make the step up to the Premier League.

"He is entering a new league and that is going to be a big experience for him but we believe he can make the step up," Howe told a press conference.

"He is strong, you just look at him and know he is going to be a handful, but he has good technique. I am excited by that because I think there is a lot of potential in him and he is a really good age, and I think there are a lot of good years ahead of him.

"He may need a little bit of time to settle as most new players do for us because of the way we play, so we are not placing huge expectation on his shoulders. He is someone who can play the role the way we like it to be played and I think he will be a success, but we are going to need to work on him like we do all other players."

Afobe could make his debut against West Ham United on Tuesday night if he is cleared in time to play.