Gradel inbound to AFCB and one or two others?

Eddie Howe was confident enough to suggest that more signings would be on their way to AFC Bournemouth before the start of the season as long as they could get the right players for the right prices. On a day when Stoke City can sign a Barcelona midfield player, it may be comforting news for Cherry fans to know that while the south coast side may not be the biggest spenders in the division at least they will attract players that will be given every opportunity to perform at their best and learn from a manager that will develop them into a team player that is going to form a competitive side.

But who are the targets? Max Gradel is my favourite pick as a colleague of mine had a talk with a journalist at L'Equipe today who said Max would more than likely be headed to the Vitality stadium. What niggles me is the pace of Harry Arter's potential return. The central midfield area is one place where Eddie Howe has not done any business yet and I'd expect that to be the area that he concentrates on in the next two weeks if he does want more players to come in. There are plenty of names out there like QPR's Junior Hoillett, Abdisalam Ibrahim of Olympiacos and Aldene Guedioura at Crystal Palace.

There is also a shortage of strikers at the Cherries in my opinion. While Wilson, Kermorgant, King and Rantie fall into that category a fifth out and out striker would be a massive bonus if AFCB can get one in. Whether Crystal Palace hold the key with Dwight Gayle and Glenn Murray is not really clear, but there has been so much talk about Palace players that something is surely going to happen there in the next few days while Liverpool are still keen to move Rickie Lambert and Fabio Borini. I know, you're still holding out for Charlie Austin - aren't you?

Still, we'll watch the transfer window eagerly in the next few days and it may mean that one or two of AFC Bournemouth players are also allowed to move on if Howe can find the right replacements, just not at any price though Eddie.

Could Adlene Guedioura be tempted by a move to the Cherries?

The Bournemouth Echo broke the news last week that AFCB had expressed an interest in Crystal Palace's Adlene Guedioura who had a couple of loan periods at Watford last season. With a year left in his contract at Palace Guedioura may not fall into the bargain bracket for signing but a price-tag of £2-3 million might be a reasonable outlay for the Cherries to consider, although Watford are also considered to be in the hunt for the player who could be enticed to play for one of the new Premier League clubs having not broken into Palace's starting eleven.

Adlene was born in France but plays for Algeria and has played for Forest and Wolves in the Championship. The central midfield role for the Cherries has been pretty settled for the last two seasons with Harry Arter and Andrew Surman and the spine of the team may well see a signing such as Adlene come to Dean Court, if Eddie Howe is feeling the need for more bite in the central area and a shade more fire power. Nicknamed the 'Rocket Factory', Guedioura is known for his fearsome shot from distance.

At 29, he has plenty of knowledge about the English game and having been a valuable part of Watford's promotion drive he could certainly adapt to the kind of quick passing football that is associated with the Cherries. Whether that zip makes him a good option to come in for Harry Arter at times would perhaps be the reason that Howe is said to be looking at Adlene.

You would have to expect that Watford would be favourites to sign Adlene, but with a new manager at the Hornets it might not be such a good avenue for him and AFCB offer plenty of scope for attacking players to express themselves. 

AFCB are also said to be keen on former Man City midfielder Abdisalam Ibrahim at Olympiakos, who Watford are again also interested in, says TalkSport.