Manager Eddie Howe has made it abudantly clear to those players who are staying at Dean Court that the their debut season in the top flight of English football will be the "toughest year" of their careers.
Speaking in the Bournemouth Evening Echo, Howe is quoted as saying "It is going to be a very important summer for all the players. I spoke to them individually and they were all given them same message. For most of them, it is going to be the toughest year of their career. They will need to come back fitter and stronger than they have ever been and be ready for the rigours of Premier League football. It will be a tough experience for anyone who comes back unprepared and I have made that clear to the players. This is a huge step up in every way and they have to be prepared for it. We had an edge on our rivals in the Championship and now the challenge becomes even harder when you are trying to battle with other Premier League clubs. It is going to become incredibly difficult and that runs across the board. We are going to have to improve in all areas – sports science, medical and coaching – in order to be competitive".