Conducting transfer business in private

It won't have escaped your notice that AFCB has suddenly made two summer signings and I don't remember any agents directing Cherry fans to either player before the announcements. In a way, I was not too concerned about the lack of activity, because the management seems to have faith in the players it already has at the club and are only looking to add one or two more experienced Championship players to the mix.

What I don't quite understand is how certain agents seem to link the club with just about any player that have previously played for the Cherries or who has a price-tag that is far in advance of anything the club could possibly afford. This period is certainly the silly period. I would rather AFCB wait and hold its cards close to its chest as the transfer window progresses. That way, with our business being done in secret rather than through the public airwaves we might actually get players at reasonable prices, like Elliot Ward on a free transfer.

Eddie Howe seems to make pretty good signings. In the January Window he certainly went for youth in signing Harry Cornick, Ryan Allsop and Ryan Fraser. This time around, if the club does go for more experience it will mean higher wage earners. While most of the players at AFCB have only been here a few years you would suspect that their salaries are fairly closely contained and not a wide spread, considering we were only playing League One football when they would have signed.

Now the dimensions will change. Players coming to Championship clubs expect good wages and it will be important that the club does not bust its pay structure or contribute to an unhappy dressing room with regards to pay. The fact that young players have come into the team and have done well like, Eunan O'Kane, Steve Cook and Ryan Allsop bodes well for the future.