Bournemouth Boss Eddie Howe: I Take Every Penny We Spend Very Seriously

13 January 2016 13:05

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has revealed he feels uncomfortable spending big in the transfer market as the Cherries bid to bolster their squad in the hope of retaining their Barclays Premier League status.

Bournemouth, who were on the brink of extinction in 2008, recently broke their club transfer record to sign Benik Afobe from Wolves for £11million before Lewis Grabban also rejoined the club for a further £7million.

Afobe, who scored 23 goals in 48 appearances for Wolves, started for Bournemouth in their 3-1 defeat against West Ham on Tuesday night while Grabban came on as a second-half substitute.

Juan Iturbe has also joined from Roma on loan until the end of the season, while Howe is also reported to be interested in signing Norwich goalkeeper John Ruddy and defender Michael Dawson from Hull.

"It is not a comfortable feeling for me as I have been right through the journey," said Howe, who was in charge of the south-coast club when they were placed into administration for a second time and handed a transfer embargo eight years ago.

"The year that we were embargoed we had 13 or 14 players to choose from, and to think in a few years' time you would have been spending millions of pounds on players would not have seemed possible.

"I take every penny we spend very seriously as well as the responsibility which comes with that, and try to make good decisions for the football club, not just for now, but for the long term.

"It is important that we look beyond this season as it is not just about the here and now, and hopefully we get the major decisions right."

Bournemouth appeared on course to beat West Ham at the Vitality Stadium after Harry Arter scored his first Premier League goal with 17 minutes gone.

But West Ham produced a spirited second-half fightback after Dimitri Payet hauled the visitors level with a delightful free-kick before Enner Valencia netted a brace to seal a 3-1 victory.

New signing Afobe had two good chances to put the game out of the Hammers' reach in the first half, but spurned both opportunities. Howe, however, was pleased with the former Arsenal man's debut.

"I thought Benik played well," he said. "It is very difficult when you come into a new club especially with no training time behind him, but he worked incredibly hard and held the ball up very well in the first half.

"He had the two chances and, a lthough he didn't take them, it is great that he was in the right positions and that is a sign of a good striker.

"He looked comfortable in the team, and Bournemouth is not an easy team to acclimatise to, but his movement was strong and he looked very good. I thought he was a handful for them.

"Every striker is going to be judged on his goals and the fact he has had two really good chances is the most pleasing thing, even though he did not take them."

Source: PA-WIRE