Transfer talk is hotting up for the Cherries this week

The Cherries are never out of the gossip columns at the moment with the latest players being linked to the club including Dwight Gayle and Tom Huddlestone, while calls for Dimitri Berbatov have cooled off - although I never saw that as a real possibility. The player that is hitting the headlines up north though is that of AFCB centre back Steve Cook. The ever-present Cook is a prime target for newly installed Newcastle Utd boss Steve McClaren if we are to believe Tom Barclay of The Sun, as reported on the Vitals' site.

Does Steve want to remain a Cherry? He may have a choice to make next week.

Steve Cook has been a southerner though from what I can see apart from a short loan spell at Mansfield in 2010-11. A move away from the south coast to Newcastle would not fill many young centre backs with enthusiasm having just won promotion to the Premier League with an ambitious club. Newcastle could certainly probably double his wages though and while a price has not been suggested, Cook would probably be viewed as a cheap option for Newcastle if they really have some cash to spend this summer. With Mike Ashley there though, you never know what is really going on in his mind.

The Tom Huddlestone one is an interesting one as the local paper has categorically said that it is wide of the mark, which would imply it was really a complete non-starter. Yet, the links to the ex-tottenham man have not died down and with no central midfield additions to the Cherries squad yet there is clearly room for a top player to come in. Tom was perhaps one of the better players in a weak Hull City side and he has had periods of his career when he has been knocking on the door of an England call up once again and very nearly made it into Roy Hodgson's squad for the World Cup in 2014.

Meanwhile, it is wolves fans that seem devastated that Dwight Gayle is all lined up to join the Cherries, according to Football League World. The signing of Gayle would really underline Eddie Howe's desire to attack with great pace next season and competition for striker places would be fierce indeed. The problem for Wolves is that Everton and Leicester City seem more than a little keen on landing Bakaray Sako and it is unlikely that he will stay at Molineux with his contract running out.

So could it be one in and one out next week? Time will tell, but I expect Eddie Howe to fight tooth and nail to keep Steve Cook at the club as he is seen as part of the future. If Dwight Gayle really wants to make his name though, AFC Bournemouth could be an exciting new venture for him and I get the feeling that he'll come to Dean Court.