Grabban needs careful looking after

We saw that Lewis Grabban was absent from the last fixture of the season and it was later admitted by Eddie Howe that the striker had picked up a knock and that he had been feeling a strain for some time. It is vital though that Lewis is looked after and 100 per cent ready for next season having seen what he has done for the team. I am not that surprised that he is a bit burnt out after the season he has had and the punishing schedule and demands of the Championship were kind of indicated by the team selection against Millwall. I also feel that Eddie Howe did not want to expose him to the kind of targeting that Adam Smith ended up having to deal with.

It will be one of the club's best summers if it can keep this squad together before the start of August. Lewis Grabban may be on a new long term contract and feel very settled at AFCB, but it would be no surprise if clubs try to see if they can entice him away. Lewis has already made a bold statement by turning down Brighton & Hove Albion. I am not sure if Brighton would be keen to try again, but if they turnaround their play-off first leg defeat they could find more money to come back with an improved offer. I don't see much need for Lewis to go to another Championship club and if he has another good season at AFCB he will be certainly watched by more pf the middle Premiership clubs. 

I don't want to see Lewis go but if he does AFCB must get his
 true value - the price of a 22 goal a season striker to replace.

At present though it looks like Lewis' ambitions are the same as AFCB and that they can both make it to the Premiership one day. The closeness of the squad does indicate that it is good to play for the Cherries at the moment. The fact that other clubs are looking at AFCB's players though means that the club is doing things right. If one main player decides to go though will that encourage others? We have some nervous weeks ahead with Eunan O'Kane, Steve Cook and may be one or two others seen as targets for clubs with bigger budgets that AFCB. But if any of the players do leave I hope they do well, because they have all been great for the Cherries.