With speculation rife as to who AFC Bournemouth might be signing in the run up to the new season, manager Eddie Howe is keeping everyone in the dark as to who he might be signing.
Skipper Tommy Elphick is quoted in the Bournemouth Evening Echo as saying: "It is great for the profile of the club to see us being linked with some big names and it shows how far we have come. This is the territory we are in now. Even last season, we brought in fresh faces and the squad was revamped a bit. Going into this pre-season, the squad was at the highest standard I have known by a long stretch which will only bring out the best in everyone. In some ways, the rumours can be quite exciting for the players but while we talk about it, I think everyone has to understand the importance of not getting too wrapped up in it all. If you’re not careful, you can get lost in these things so there is no point dwelling on it too much until a player lands. Then, it is up to us to help them to quickly understand our ethics and get settled as quickly as possible. Some of the names we have been linked with and ones we have already signed are high-calibre players with top reputations but it is not really the players’ territory to be engaged in those conversations with the manager before they arrive".